Oregon dairy heifers have the potential to consume 81,000 tons of grass straw in nugget form, Carroll said.
Cost varies with nugget composition.
The nugget advantage over the other forage rations is convenience. The nuggets were developed by Harvest Feeds of Amity, Ore., and the research supported by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. The nugget is a complete feed made of vitamins, minerals, grains, alfalfa and the grass straw. The grass straw's long fiber makes a pellet 4 to 5 inches long. Gamroth and Carroll said the cost of nugget feed is about six cents a pound.