Corn silage and daily nutrient requirements for cattle. 1970 Urea is often added to corn silage at silo filling time to correct protein deficiencies and to improve fermentation. Limestone also has been added to corn silage at ensiling to enhance fermentation and to correct calcium deficiency.
Lactic acid is the one most significantly influenced.
Recent research indicates urea and mineral additions to corn silage can reduce the supplementation cost and may improve the energy value of the silage as feed for beef cattle. Feed-grade urea usually has 42 or 45 percent nitrogen. The protein equivalent of a feed is determined by multiplying the percent nitrogen by 6.25. Adding 10 pounds of urea to a ton of corn silage with 30 percent dry matter and 8 percent protein on a dry matter basis will increase the protein content to 12.37 or 12.70 percent on a dry matter basis, depending on whether urea with 2.62 or 2.81 protein equivalent was used. Corn silage with higher dry matter percentage should have a corresponding increase in urea addition per ton of wet material.