Forage: the fibrous base of the ration
Forage is plant material livestock eat as pasture, hay, silage, green chop or crop residues. It provides the fibrous base of a ruminant's diet and supports healthy rumen function. Its quality depends on the plant species, how mature it is at harvest and how well it is stored.
How do you calculate the forage share?
For example, a dairy cow ration provides 8 kg of dry matter from forage and 6 kg from concentrate. Forage supplies about 57% of the total dry matter: 8 divided by 14.
How can HerdMobile help?
HerdMobile helps you plan a ration with your own forage and concentrates. Compare their dry matter contributions to understand how much forage the ration provides.
Questions from the farm
What is a suitable forage share?
A suitable forage share depends on the animal group and its stage of production. Balance energy and fibre needs when planning the ration; a share that suits one group may not suit another.
Does silage count as forage?
Yes. Silage is preserved forage, and its dry matter contributes to the ration's forage share. Use its dry matter content when calculating that contribution.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
Express forage as a percentage of the ration's total dry matter. This lets you compare the forage contribution with concentrates and the other feeds you have in stock.
