logo

Feed values

Topics

3 min read

Pasture Silage Hay Grazed crops* Concentrate By products

Feed quality, often quantified as metabolisable energy (ME) per kilogram of dry matter (MJME/kg DM or M/D), is as crucial as feed quantity for dairy farming. High M/D value means better feed as it has more usable energy. The page discusses various types of feeds, including pasture, silage, hay, grazed crops, concentrates, and by-products, providing detailed information on their dry matter percentage, ME, nitrogen content and more. High nitrogen content in feed can lead to increased nitrogen in cow urine and loss to water and the atmosphere. Regularly monitoring and adjusting these factors can improve the health and productivity of your herd.

Feed quantity (kilograms of dry matter) is the most common way of measuring feed and we often talk about the cost of purchased feeds on a kilograms of dry matter basis.

An equally, if not more important measure is feed "quality"; feed "quality" is the energy value of feed. It is measured by the amount of usable or metabolisable energy (ME) in a given weight of feed. In New Zealand the energy value of feed is referred to as the megajoules of metabolisable energy per kilogram of dry matter (MJME/kg DM) or M/D for short.

The higher the M/D value the better the feed. For example autumn grass, with a M/D value of 11 has a higher energy value per kg dry matter than good meadow hay with a M/D value of 8.

The higher the N content, the higher the potential N in urine and N loss to water and atmosphere.

Pasture

Ryegrass/white clover dominant. North Is. and dryland South Is.

DM (%) ME (ME/kgDM) CP (%DM) N content (%DM) NDF (%DM) SSS (%DM) Starch (%SSS) Fat (%)
Pasture, spring 12-18 11.5-12.5 18-35 2.9-6.1 35-45 7-25 2-4 3-6
Pasture, summer 15-20 9.5-10.5 14-22 2.2-3.5 42-52 7-25 4-8 5
Pasture, summer dry 20-30 8.0-9.5 9-14 1.4-2.2 52-65 7-25 7-15 4-8
Pasture, autumn/winter 13-18 11.0-11.5 15-20 2.4-3.2 40-47 7-25 2-4 3-5

Silage

DM (%) ME (ME/kgDM) CP (%DM) N content (%DM) NDF (%DM) SSS (%DM) Starch (%SSS) Fat (%)
Pasture, good 23 10.0 17.0 2.7 45 22.0 7.0 3.0
Pasture, poor 38 9.0 15.0 2.4 55 15.0 8.0 3.1
Barley 33 9.8 11.9 1.9 57 19.9 100.0 2.9
Lucerne 30-40 9.5 20.0 3.2 51 16.7 45.0 3.5
Maize 33 10.3 8.0 1.3 49 35.1 100.0 3.1
Pea 33 8.8 13.1 2.1 59 18.3 100.0 3.3
Wheat oat 36 10.5 13.0 2.1 59 16.1 100.0 3.6

Hay

DM (%) ME (ME/kgDM) CP (%DM) N content (%DM) NDF (%DM) SSS (%DM) Starch (%SSS) Fat (%)
Pasture, good 85.0 9.7 17 2.7 54.0 17.7 44.0 2.6
Pasture, poor 85.0 7.3 7 1.1 66.0 14.6 45.0 2.6
Barley straw 87.0 6.5 4.3 0.7 80.0 6.7 100.0 1.9
Pea straw 85.0 6.7 6.3 1.0 59.0 - - -
Wheat straw 89.0 6.3 3.6 0.6 79.0 7.8 100.0 1.8

Grazed crops*

DM (%) ME (ME/kgDM) CP (%DM) N content (%DM) NDF (%DM) SSS (%DM) Starch (%SSS) Fat (%)
Chicory 8-19 12.5-13 20-26 3.2-4.2 30-38 4-9 - -
Fodder beet 14-20 12.0-12.5 9-14 1.4-2.2 11-16 60-65 5 -
Kale 11-15 11.0-13.5 12-18 1.9-2.9 20-35 35-40 - 2.1
Lucerne 24.0 11.0 30.0 4.8 30 - - 2.5
Oats 11-20 11.5 13.2 2.1 30 48 90 4.9
Swedes 9-12 11.0-13.0 12-20 1.9-2.9 16-30 45-50 0.1 -
Tritcale 32.0 - 13.8 2.2 59.7 68 67 -
Turnips 9-11 12.0 12-18 1.9-2.9 27 17 10 22.0
Plantain 9-20 11-12 16-18 2.6-2.9 - 11-17 - -

Concentrate

DM (%) ME (ME/kgDM) CP (%DM) N content (%DM) NDF (%DM) SSS (%DM) Starch (%SSS) Fat (%)
Barley 89.0 13.0 11 1.8 21.0 61.4 90.0 2.0
Bran 85.0 9.8 17.1 2.7 51.0 20.6 95.0 4.4
Canola meal 90.0 11.5 38 6.1 30.0 - 1.5 3.5
Lupin 89.0 12.0 34.2 5.5 33.0 22.0 90.0 5.5
Maize grain 89.0 13.6 8 1.3 9.0 75.1 99.0 4.3
Oats 89.0 11.5 13 2.1 31.0 47.5 90.0 4.9
Peas 87.0 13.0 24 3.8 23.0 46.0 - 1.8
Soya bean meal 90.0 12.9 50 8.0 14.0 27.0 90.0 1.4
Soya bean hulls 88.0 12.0 13.5 2.2 60.0 27.0 1.4 -
Tapioca 88.0 12.8 5 0.8 20.0 27.0 71.0 2.0
Wheat 89.0 12.6 11.3 1.8 14.0 70.0 90.0 1.9
Whole cotton seed 88.0 16.0 23 3.7 44.0 3.7 90.0 18.0
Cotton seed meal 89.0 12.0 min 43 min 6.9 20-23 - 1.5 0.05

By products

DM (%) ME (ME/kgDM) CP (%DM) N content (%DM) NDF (%DM) SSS (%DM) Starch (%SSS) Fat (%)
Apple pomace 22.0 10.4 5.4 0.9 41.0 44.0 100 4.7
Bread 63.0 14.0 13.0 2.1 18.0 65.0 90 5.7
Brewers grains 24.0 10.0 23.0 3.7 49.0 11.2 100 7.3
Cabbage 8.0 13.2 19 3.0 29.0 60.4 - 3.4
Carrots 12.0 13.2 9.9 1.6 9.0 59.4 - 1.4
Condensed distillers syrup 42-45 15-17 15-17 2.4-2.7 1.0 - - 4-8
Dried distillers grains 90.0 12-13 25-33 4.0-5.3 30.0 7.0 55 3.5
Fishmeal 92.0 11.7 66.7 10.7 1.5 2.0 90 10.5
Kiwifruit ripe 14.0 12.0-12.5 12-17 1.9-2.7 20.0 50.0 2-4 3
Kiwifruit (hard) 20.0 12.0-12.5 6-10 1.0-1.6 25.0 30.0 2 3
Molasses 75.0 12 4 0.6 0.0 82.8 0 0.1
Onion 10.0 13 11.6 1.9 18.0 65.1 100 1.6
Palm Kernel Extract 90.0 11 14 2.2 70.0 - 5 8
Potatoes 23.0 13 10 1.6 7.6 77.2 100 0.4
Pumpkin 8.4 12.9 16 2.6 5.9 67.4 100 1.2
Tallow 99.0 31.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0 99
Urea 99.0 0 281.0 45.0 0.0 0.0 0 0

Note: The average ME has been rounded to the nearest 0.5 ME. Quality of forages may be outside the range depending on the level of pasture/crop management. ME=metabolisable energy, CP=crude protein, NDF=neutral detergent fibre, SSS=soluble sugars and starch*.*

*Higher values South Island

Last updated: Sep 2023
Share:
Tags related to “Feed values”

Related content

Fundamentals overview

Feed

•

7 min read
Pasture assessments

Feed

•

14 min read
Managing new pasture

Feed

•

2 min read
Leaf stage

Feed

•

4 min read
Pre-graze mowing

Feed

•

2 min read