Composition of Feedstuffs

Note: The figures listed on this Web page are averages. Feed compositions are dependent on many factors, so they are highly variable!

Forage Quality

The quality of any forage is affected by three main points. These points affect the forages' digestibility and thus, the animals' intake. Forage color and leafiness can be observed for a quick quality test, while ADF and NDF can be tested to predict the forage's digestibility and intake level, respectively.

Maturity at harvesting
Harvesting effects (loss of leaves, rained on)
Storage problems (mold, heat damage)

Legumes

Legumes are highly palatable, highly digestible, and very nutritious. They can be fed with lower quality feeds to balance a ewe's diet for her current production phase, etc.

Legume Composition:

50-53% TDN on 90% DM basis
15-18% CP
1.25% Calcium
50-100 mg/lb Carotene
Good source of most trace minerals and vitamins

Grass Hays

Grass hays are not as palatable to sheep as legumes. They have lower protein, phosphorus, and calcium contents, so they cannot be used to correct deficiencies of these items in diets.

Common Grass Hays:

Bromegrass
Orchard grass
Canary grass
Timothy
Bluegrass
Variety of native grasses

Grass Hay Composition:

About 90% DM
48-50% TDN on DM basis
6-10% CP
20% Calcium
.17-.22% Phosphorous
Wide variation in quality

Haylage

Haylage is usually made from alfalfa-brome forage. Its value in relation to hay is determined by when it is cut and its moisture content. It is important to be aware of the percent DM of haylage as changes in this percentage cause major fluctuations in the energy content of the feed.

Haylage Composition:

About 40-50% DM
55% TDN on 45% DM basis
Higher in CP than hay
Higher in minerals than hay
Often higher in carotene than hay
Highly variable composition

Corn Silage

Corn silage is an under-utilized feed because of its labor requirements and because, if it is harvested poorly, it can harbor lysteria, which is the bacteria that causes listerosis (circling disease). However, corn silage does produce more energy per acre and more sheep can be maintained utilizing corn silage than any other harvested feed. Corn silage is deficient in protein, calcium, and phosphorus during lactation, so it should be supplemented with alfalfa.

Corn Silage Composition:

About 35-40% DM
26% TDN on DM basis
3.0-3.2% CP
.11% Calcium
.08% Phosphorus

Corn Stover

Corn stover is the stalks and leaves left after the corn has been combined.

Corn Stover Composition:

32-38% Fiber
3-6% CP

Corn Stover Positives:

Fairly good source of dry matter
Adds bulk and gross energy
Utilizes waste
Low initial cost
Reduces cost of feeding ewes in early gestation

Corn Stover Negatives:

Variable in quality
Lacks palatability
Requires more labor to feed
Expensive to grind
25-35% refusal
Need to supplement protein, vitamins, and energy

By-Products

Beet Pulp Composition:

Usually 90% DM
65% TDN
9% CP
19% Fiber
.68% Calcium
.10% Phosphorus

Beet Molasses Composition:

77% DM
68% TDN
7.6% CP

Sunflower Hulls Composition:

51% Fiber
5% CP
35% TDN

Wheat Bran Composition:

64% TDN
16% CP
1.2% Phosphorus
Higher in selenium

Protein Supplements

Soybean Meal Composition:

79% TDN
45% CP
.68% Phosphorus (Higher than other grains)

Linseed Meal Composition:

72% TDN
35% CP

Sunflower Meal Composition:

68% TDN
28-38% CP

Urea

Urea is the main source of non-protein nitrogen used to balance ruminant rations. It can be mixed at the farm, but producers usually prefer to buy it as part of a commercial supplement containing vitamins A and D and minerals.

Mineral Supplements

Calcium and phosphorous are the major components of bonemeal and dicalcium phosphate (dical). Bonemeal contains 24% calcium and 12% phosphorus; dical contains 25% calcium and 18.5% phosphorus. When only phosphate is needed, sodium phosphate (22% phosphorus and no calcium) can be utilized. When only calcium is needed, limestone (38% calcium and no phosphorus) can be added. As these supplements are not palatable, they should be mixed with a salt.

Sheep Feeds

Feed		Average Dry Matter Content %	On 90% Dry Matter Basis
			Energy		Protein	Fiber %	Calcium %	Phosphorus %	Vitamin A equivalent I.U./lb.
			TDN %	DE Mcal	Total %	Fiber %	Calcium %	Phosphorus %	Vitamin A equivalent I.U./lb.
Grains	Oats	88	69.3	1.39	12.0	11.2	.10	.34	—
	Corn	88	78.3	1.57	9.0	2.1	.02	.31	500
	Barley	88	77.4	1.55	12.2	5.0	.08	.41	—
	Wheat	90	78.3	1.57	14.4	2.7	.05	.37	—
	Rye	90	76.5	1.53	12.4	2.0	.06	.34	—
	Sorghum	90	79.2	1.58	11.2	2.0	.04	.32	—
By-products	Beet pulp	90	65	1.30	9.0	18.8	.68	.10	—
	Beet molasses	77	68	1.36	7.6	—	.16	.03	—
	Cane molasses	75	66	1.32	5.2	—	.89	.08	—
	Wheat bran	90	64	1.28	15.4	10.1	.14	1.18	—
Feed		Average Dry Matter Content %	On 90% Dry Matter Basis
			Energy		Protein	Fiber %	Calcium %	Phosphorus %	Vitamin A equivalent I.U./lb.
			TDN %	DE Mcal	Total %	Fiber %	Calcium %	Phosphorus %	Vitamin A equivalent I.U./lb.
Protein supplements	Soybean meal	90	79.2	1.50Ł	44.8	6.0	.32	.68	—
	Linseed meal	90	71.6	1.43	34.5	8.9	.40	.82	—
	Brewers grains	90	63.0	1.26	26.5	14.7	.26	.49	—
	Cottonseed meal	90	63.9	1.38	40.7	11.9	.15	1.18	—
	Sunflower meal	90	68.4	1.37	46.3	11.4	.41	.91	—
Roughages	Hay—alfalfa	88	51.3	1.02	15.4	27.8	1.20	.20	7,500
	timothy	88	49.0	.98	8.2	29.8	.36	.17	4,000
	bromegrass	88	49.0	.98	8.7	30.4	.35	.18	3,000
	orchard grass	88	49.0	.98	10.1	31.0	.40	.22	7,500
	canary grass	88	49.0	.98	9.4	31.7	.30	.22	7,500
	aslike clover	88	51.0	1.02	13.2	26.5	1.20	.22	25,000
	red clover	88	51.0	1.02	14.4	26.5	1.30	.20	8,000
Feed		Average Dry Matter Content %	On 90% Dry Matter Basis
			Energy		Protein	Fiber %	Calcium %	Phosphorus %	Vitamin A equivalent I.U./lb.
			TDN %	DE Mcal	Total %	Fiber %	Calcium %	Phosphorus %	Vitamin A equivalent I.U./lb.
Alfalfa-brome haylage		46	50.0	1.00	14.4	31.0	.54	.18	18,000
Corn silage		40	63.0	1.26	7.3	22.0	.24	.18	—
Corn stover		88	50.0	1.00	5.6	33.4	.44	.08	—

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