Feeding cows the right grains is something many farmers think about every day. Grains are key to keeping cattle healthy and productive. They give cows energy, protein, and important nutrients needed for growth and wellbeing.
But not all grains are the same, so choosing the best ones can feel like a challenge.
With years of experience in livestock feed and cattle nutrition, we’ve learned what works best for herds big or small. In this blog post, we’ll share practical advice to help you make better feeding choices for your cattle.
Grains can boost a cow’s diet and improve their health. Choosing the right grain makes feeding more effective and keeps cows thriving.
Corn is one of the best grains to feed cattle. It provides high energy with a Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) level of 88%. This makes it great for weight gain in livestock. Corn has about 72% starch on a dry-matter basis, which helps improve energy intake.
We must watch how much corn we give cows, especially in forage diets. It should stay below 0.4% of their body weight to avoid digestion problems. Processing methods like steam-flaking increase digestibility up to TDN 95%.
High-moisture corn harvested at 25–30% moisture works well for storage and breaking down starch faster during digestion. While rich in energy, corn is lower in protein at only about 8.8%, so balancing other nutrients is key too.
Barley is a top choice in cattle nutrition. It provides 12.8% crude protein and 3.71 Mcal/kg of digestible energy on a dry matter basis. Over half of a cow’s feed intake can come from barley without issues.
The grain has more fibre, about 7%, but less starch compared to corn, making it easier for cows to digest while still providing energy.
Processing barley, like steam-rolling, boosts nutrient availability and improves feed efficiency in livestock feeding. Its protein levels range between 7.5% and 18%, depending on soil health and weather conditions during growth.
Barley works well alongside forage if total dietary fibre stays above the minimum requirement of 6%. We often use it to replace up to two-thirds of corn in finishing ruminant diets.
Barley balances high protein with digestibility for better bovine performance.
Wheat provides 13.8% crude protein and 3.83 Mcal/kg of digestible energy on a dry matter basis, making it nutrient-rich for cows. Its low fibre content, about 3%, means we need to blend it with higher-fibre grains or forages like silage to meet the minimum 6% fibre requirement in cattle diets.
We should process wheat by rolling or coarse grinding since whole wheat is tough for cows to eat properly. Soft varieties and sprouted wheat can work well, but hard wheats should stay below 40% of the diet, while durum needs limiting to less than 30%.
Overfeeding risks acidosis due to fast starch breakdown, so keeping wheat under half of their ration ensures better feed efficiency and cow health.
Oats are a great choice for cattle, especially weaned calves. They can make up 50–70% of the grain mix during adaptation. With a crude protein content of 12.6% and digestible energy at 3.38 Mcal/kg (dry matter), oats provide good nutrition.
Newer varieties may even offer up to 16% protein, which boosts feed value.
We find oats work well as creep feed when fed whole. Rolling or crimping them increases efficiency by about 5%. Their high fibre content, at 13%, supports digestion but lowers energy compared to grains like corn or wheat.
Oats’ bulky nature limits weight gain potential too, so they’re not ideal for replacement heifers’ sole diet.
Sorghum is a smart grain choice for cattle feed. It gives up to 100% of corn’s nutritional value but has more protein content. This makes it great for boosting livestock nutrition while cutting costs.
Its low water needs make it ideal for areas where droughts hurt crop growth.
We use sorghum as silage, especially for gestating cows. It ferments slower than corn but works just as well after 48 hours in the rumen. Steam-flaking improves its starch use and helps with milk production efficiency too.
Properly processed sorghum can replace corn without hurting milk output.
Sorghum also supports dairy production when included in lactating cow diets. Sorghum seeds cost less and work well as an alternative to other grains like corn or wheat. Farmers benefit from this highly efficient option, even using distillers grains made during ethanol processing!
Grains like corn, barley, oats, wheat and sorghum improve livestock nutrition. They are rich in energy and provide moderate protein levels. Corn has higher energy density than other grains at 88% total digestible nutrients (TDN).
Wheat follows close with 87%, then barley at 84% and oats at 77%. Feeding these grains supports weight gain and improves feed efficiency for cattle.
Oats offer more protein compared to corn. This can help reduce the need for extra protein supplements. Barley thrives in colder climates, making it a suitable option in such regions.
Corn-fed cattle often have better daily gains than those fed on barley. Agricultural grains also supply phosphorus between 0.29-0.38%, essential for strong bones and good health of cows.
Choosing the right grains for cows is crucial for their health. We must focus on quality, safety, and optimal nutrition.
Feeding cows the right grains makes a big difference. Corn, barley, wheat, oats, and sorghum each offer unique benefits. By knowing their strengths, we can choose what fits our herd best.
Healthy cows mean better yields and happier farms! Let’s give them the nutrition they deserve.
Cows thrive on grains like barley, maize, oats, and sorghum. These provide energy and help improve weight gain or milk production.
No, cows need a balanced diet. Grain is great for energy but should be fed with forage like hay or pasture to support digestion.
The amount depends on the cow’s size, age, and purpose (like dairy or beef). Start small and increase gradually to avoid digestive issues.
Yes, but do it slowly over 7–10 days so their stomach can adjust without causing health problems like acidosis.
The best hay for cows can be found in our other article titled “Best Hay For Cows“
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