Don’t Buy a Grain Mix
On Price Alone
By: Donna Amaral-Phillips, Ph.D.
With grain costs accounting for over 40% of the milk check, ways to control purchased
feed costs are constantly on every dairy farmer’s mind. When comparing the costs of
various grain mixes, more than just the price needs to be evaluated. The price of a grain
mix is related to not only to its protein content but also the amount of energy, minerals
and vitamins it contains. Within a particular protein percentage, most commercial
companies have different products which differ in energy content. The following table
illustrates how one commercial company has at least six different 18% complete grain
mixes which vary in energy content.
Grain Mix #1
Grain Mix #2
Grain Mix #3
Grain Mix #4
Grain Mix #5
Grain Mix #6
TDN
(%)
84
82
82
79
78
78
NEI
(Mcal/lb)
0.85
0.82
0.82
0.80
0.79
0.79
Crude Fat
(%)
7.0
4.2
4.3
4.4
3.7
4.5
ADF
(%)
14.4
9.7
9.9
16.0
14.9
12.6
The difference in energy content of grain mix #1 and #6 equals the amount of energy
needed to produce 4 lbs of milk when cows are consuming 22 lbs of grain. With milk at
$13.50/cwt, these two grain mixes could differ by $50/ton with the same amount of net
profit.
Generally, most of the larger feed companies sell a low, medium, and high energy grain
mix at a particular protein percentage. The high-energy lines usually contain an
additional fat source such as tallow, whole cottonseed, soybeans, or Megalac or other
ruminally inert fat. In the past, grain mixes high in crude or acid detergent fiber were
lower in energy. However, byproducts, such as soyhulls, are added as a digestible fiber
source and this relationship does not always hold true. Most feed companies will
provide an estimated energy content of their grain mixes. These energy values allow
you to determine if you are feeding the company’s high, medium or low energy grain
mix. However, each company can use different energy values for the same byproducts
and other grains which makes it very difficult to compare grain mixes between
companies.
The key to finding an economical grain mix is to find one which complements the
forages you are feeding. The type of forage fed and the quality of that forage
determines the amount of grain needed and the energy concentration needed in the
grain mix. More grain and a higher energy density needs to be fed with poorer quality
forages.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age,
sex, religion, disability, or national origin.