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6154161 
Journal Article 
Farm production experiments comparing formalin-treated silage with conventional foods for wintering yearling beef cattle 
Binnie, DB; Barry, TN 
1976 
Yes 
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science
ISSN: 0114-0671 
4 
2 
227-234 
English 
BCI:BCI197763018327 
is also published as 6031683 Farm production experiments comparing formaldehyde-treated silage with conventional feeds for wintering yearling beef cattle
Ryegrass-clover herbage was ensiled using a flail-type harvester. After 5 months' storage the silages were self-fed ad lib. by young cattle and their performance compared with that of animals wintered on conventional feeds. In Experiment 1 animals fed on untreated silage and on silage treated with a mixture of formalin + formic acid gained at 0.23 and 0.66 kg live weight per day respectively. During the subsequent 203-day post-treatment period at pasture the animals wintered on untreated silage compensated 38.6% of the winter weight gain advantage built up by the group wintered on treated silage. In Experiment 2 animals wintered on ad lib. hay, ad lib. formalin-treated silage, and restricted autumn saved pasture (ASP) gained at 0.41, 0.41, and 0.30 kg live weight per day respectively. During the following 63-day period at pasture, the animals which had been wintered on hay or silage showed a substantial reduction in live-weight gain relative to those wintered on ASP. This was no longer evident during a subsequent 39-day grazing period, and methods for overcoming this temporary reduction in growth rate after the change in diet from conserved feeds to spring pasture are suggested. The amount of original dry matter conserved that was required to winter one animal for 1 day was measured on each of the conserved feeds. The costs of the winter management systems are presented, and a method has been devised for calculating the costs per unit of winter weight gain after allowing for compensatory growth or temporary reductions in weight gain after transfer to pasture.