{"id":1026,"date":"2026-07-21T08:09:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T08:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/?p=1026"},"modified":"2026-07-21T08:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T08:09:37","slug":"feedlot-pre-condition-using-silage-in-the-transition-yard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/application\/feedlot-pre-condition-using-silage-in-the-transition-yard\/","title":{"rendered":"Feedlot Pre-Condition: Using Silage in the Transition Yard"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Feedlot \u00b7 QLD & NSW \u00b7 Transition Feeding<\/div>\n

Feedlot Pre-Condition: Using Silage in the Transition Yard<\/p>\n

How silage buffers rumen adaptation in the 21-day transition from pasture to grain \u2014 the feeding programme that reduces acidosis risk and improves subsequent grain conversion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The 21-Day Problem Every Feedlot Operator Knows<\/h2>\n

Cattle transitioning from pasture to grain-based feedlot diets go through the most physiologically stressful nutritional change in their production lives. The rumen microbiome \u2014 which has been tuned over weeks or months to process high-fibre, low-starch pasture \u2014 must adapt to the high-starch, low-fibre grain ration that drives feedlot weight gain. During this 21 to 28 day adaptation period, the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) and clinical acidosis is highest, the voluntary intake is most variable, and daily weight gain is typically at its lowest of the entire lot placement.<\/p>\n

The conventional industry response to transition risk is a step-up grain programme: starting at 20 to 30% grain DM in the ration and increasing by 5 to 10 percentage points every 3 to 5 days over 21 to 28 days until the target finishing ration is reached. This works \u2014 but it relies on the roughage component of the ration doing two things simultaneously: providing adequate effective fibre for rumen buffering, and being palatable enough for cattle that have been receiving nothing but pasture for months.<\/p>\n

Silage as the transition roughage component \u2014 replacing the dry hay or straw that most Queensland and NSW feedlots use \u2014 improves both these functions. Well-made silage has higher digestibility than dry hay from equivalent crops, is more palatable for grazing-background cattle that are already accustomed to eating moist, aromatic forage, and provides a better rumen pH buffer through its fermentation acid content than dry roughage. This article covers how to incorporate silage into a feedlot transition programme effectively and what production system makes it viable for 200 to 1,000 head transition yards. For why cattle producers are increasingly investing in their own baling capability rather than purchasing hay, our article on why cattle farmers are switching to combined baler-wrapper machines<\/a> covers the ownership economics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"9YG-2.24D<\/p>\n

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Why Silage Works Better Than Dry Hay in the Transition Yard<\/h2>\n

Palatability \u2014 The First Week Matters Most<\/h3>\n

Cattle entering a transition yard after months on native or improved pasture have a feed intake profile dominated by high-moisture, aromatic, varied-texture pasture. Dry hay \u2014 particularly dry cereal hay at 12 to 15% moisture, with its dusty, low-palatability characteristics \u2014 is a foreign feed format that cattle eat reluctantly in the first 3 to 5 days of transition. This reluctance in the first week means the effective fibre intake is lower than the offered allocation, which is precisely when effective fibre is most needed as the rumen microbiome begins the adaptation process.<\/p>\n

Silage’s higher moisture content (40 to 55% DM) and fermented aroma profile is closer to the wet, diverse pasture that transition cattle have been eating for months. Voluntary intake of silage in the first 3 to 5 days of transition is typically 15 to 30% higher than voluntary intake of equivalent dry hay \u2014 a meaningful difference when every kilogram of effective fibre consumed in the first week of transition reduces acidosis risk and improves first-week weight gain.<\/p>\n

Effective Fibre and Rumen pH Buffering<\/h3>\n

The key metric for roughage in a transition ration is effective neutral detergent fibre (eNDF) \u2014 the fraction of NDF that contributes to the rumen mat and stimulates saliva production (the primary rumen pH buffer). Well-made grass or cereal silage at 50 to 60% NDF and 35 to 50 mm particle length provides comparable eNDF to dry hay from the same crop \u2014 and significantly higher eNDF than the ground or processed roughage components used in some total mixed ration (TMR) transition programmes.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Roughage Source<\/th>\nNDF (DM)<\/th>\neNDF Rating<\/th>\nPalatability (Transition Cattle)<\/th>\nCost (AUD\/tonne DM)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Dry cereal hay<\/td>\n55\u201370%<\/td>\nHigh<\/td>\nModerate \u2014 adjustment period<\/td>\n$180\u2013$260 delivered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cereal silage baleage<\/td>\n50\u201365%<\/td>\nHigh<\/td>\nGood \u2014 closer to pasture<\/td>\n$90\u2013$150 on-farm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lucerne\/grass silage<\/td>\n40\u201355%<\/td>\nMedium-High<\/td>\nVery good<\/td>\n$100\u2013$160 on-farm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dry straw<\/td>\n70\u201380%<\/td>\nMedium<\/td>\nLow \u2014 very unpalatable<\/td>\n$80\u2013$140 delivered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sorghum silage<\/td>\n55\u201365%<\/td>\nHigh<\/td>\nGood \u2014 high starch aids transition<\/td>\n$75\u2013$130 on-farm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Designing the Transition Feeding Programme With Silage<\/h2>\n

A Practical 21-Day Transition Ration Schedule<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Days<\/th>\nSilage (% DM)<\/th>\nGrain (% DM)<\/th>\nMineral\/Buffer (% DM)<\/th>\nKey Management Note<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1\u20135<\/td>\n50\u201360%<\/td>\n20\u201325%<\/td>\n3\u20135%<\/td>\nMonitor bunk intake daily; ad-lib silage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6\u201310<\/td>\n40\u201350%<\/td>\n30\u201335%<\/td>\n3\u20135%<\/td>\nObserve for bloat; increase grain only if intake >95%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11\u201315<\/td>\n30\u201340%<\/td>\n40\u201345%<\/td>\n3\u20135%<\/td>\nWatch SARA signs \u2014 loose faeces, off-feed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16\u201321<\/td>\n20\u201330%<\/td>\n50\u201355%<\/td>\n3\u20134%<\/td>\nApproaching finishing ration; maintain silage for fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
22+<\/td>\n10\u201320%<\/td>\n60\u201365%+<\/td>\n2\u20133%<\/td>\nStandard finishing \u2014 silage as fibre buffer only<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Bunk Management When Feeding Silage in the Transition Yard<\/h3>\n

Silage in a feedlot transition bunk requires different management than dry hay in a rack. The primary concern is aerobic deterioration of the silage portion in the bunk when ambient temperatures are high \u2014 at 30 to 35\u00b0C (typical of Queensland and northern NSW feedlots in summer), silage exposed in a bunk begins visible heating within 4 to 6 hours of placement. For twice-daily feeding of silage-containing TMR, this is manageable: feed at morning and evening, push up feed at midday to expose fresh silage to cattle, and remove any heating or moulded material from the bunk before the afternoon feed.<\/p>\n

Feedlots using partial TMR mixing \u2014 where silage is distributed from a loader alongside grain in the same bunk rather than mixed \u2014 should distribute silage across the full bunk length immediately before the grain ration to allow cattle to self-regulate the silage:grain ratio. Avoid placing silage and grain in separate sections of the bunk, which allows cattle to preferentially eat grain and ignore silage \u2014 exactly the intake pattern that drives SARA in the transition period.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Feedlot<\/p>\n

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Production System: Providing Silage for 200 to 1,000 Head Transition<\/h2>\n

Volume Requirements for a 200-Head Transition Yard<\/h3>\n

A 200-head transition yard feeding silage at 50% of ration DM for the first 10 days, then reducing: average over the 21-day period approximately 35% of ration DM as silage at 10 kg total DM per head per day. Silage DM per head per day: 3.5 kg DM. Total for 21-day programme: 200 \u00d7 3.5 \u00d7 21 = 14,700 kg DM silage. At 1.25 m bale with 45% DM content and 200 kg DM per bale: approximately 74 bales per 200-head lot.<\/p>\n

For a feedlot turning through 4 to 6 lots of 200 head per year, the annual silage requirement is 290 to 440 bales. This is within the practical range of an owned baling system making 300 to 500 bales from dedicated sorghum or mixed cereal paddocks adjacent to the feedlot. At 400 bales per year from owned production at a total cost of AUD $140 per bale (film, consumables, amortised equipment), versus purchasing equivalent silage at AUD $250 to $350 per tonne DM equivalent, the annual saving from owned production is AUD $15,000 to $30,000.<\/p>\n

The 9YG-2.24D S9000 round baler<\/a> is specified for the forage sorghum and mixed cereal silage crops that Queensland and NSW backgrounder operations grow for transition feeding \u2014 the higher chamber capacity and wider pickup handle the dense, chopped forage sorghum windrows that characterise the primary transition silage crop in these regions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Round<\/p>\n

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Common Transition Feeding Mistakes When Using Silage<\/h2>\n
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\u274c Switching Silage Batches Mid-Transition Without Recalibrating Intake<\/div>\n

Moving from a high-ME sorghum silage batch (9.5 MJ ME) to a lower-ME cereal straw silage batch (8.2 MJ ME) mid-way through the transition programme without adjusting ration allocations reduces energy intake below the step-up plan target. This commonly manifests as lower intake signals (cattle not cleaning up the bunk) that operators misinterpret as overcrowding or social stress rather than the actual cause \u2014 lower energy density roughage than the ration was designed around. Test each incoming silage batch and adjust ration accordingly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u26a0 Feeding Silage at Full Inclusion on Day 1 Without Ad-Lib Access<\/div>\n

Transition cattle offered silage at a set restricted allocation on day 1 eat what is available and then stand waiting at the bunk \u2014 a stress pattern that increases cortisol levels and suppresses rumen function in the first week. Provide ad-lib access to silage for the first 3 to 5 days (more than cattle will actually consume) and let voluntary intake establish before beginning restriction. The cost of ad-lib silage for 3 to 5 days per lot is minor relative to the transition performance improvement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Underestimating Silage Volume Needs and Running Short Mid-Lot<\/div>\n

Running out of silage mid-transition and substituting dry hay abruptly is the highest-risk nutritional event in a feedlot’s transition programme \u2014 the change in roughage format from moist, aromatic silage to dry, dusty hay reduces voluntary roughage intake at precisely the point where grain inclusion is highest. Always carry 20 to 25% more silage inventory than the calculated programme requirement as a buffer for unexpected lot extension or intake variation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
\nIs there a SARA risk from silage itself in the transition period?<\/span>+<\/span><\/summary>\n
No \u2014 silage does not cause SARA. SARA is driven by excessive fermentable starch from grain in the rumen, not from silage fermentation acids. In fact, the lactic acid in good-quality silage (pH 3.9 to 4.5) contributes modestly to rumen buffering capacity by suppressing the rapid starch fermentation that produces butyric acid and drives pH below the SARA threshold. Well-made silage is a pH-stabilising roughage in a transition ration, not an acidosis risk factor.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nCan I use poor-quality silage (high ammonia, pH above 5.0) in transition rations?<\/span>+<\/span><\/summary>\n
No \u2014 high-ammonia clostridially spoiled silage in a transition ration adds to the rumen’s nitrogen load at a time when the microbiome is already under stress. The ammonia nitrogen from poor-quality silage increases blood urea nitrogen in transition cattle, adding hepatic processing load during the most vulnerable period of the production cycle. Use only good-quality fermented silage (pH below 4.8, ammonia-N below 8% of total N) in transition rations.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nHow much does using silage in transition reduce clinical acidosis incidence?<\/span>+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Controlled trials at Queensland feedlot operations comparing silage-and-grain step-up programmes versus dry hay-and-grain programmes consistently show 20 to 40% reductions in observable SARA signs (loose faeces, foot-tripping, teeth-grinding) in silage-fed transition cattle through the first 14 days. Clinical acidosis cases requiring treatment are reduced by 30 to 50% in silage-fed lots versus hay-fed lots receiving the same grain step-up programme \u2014 a production outcome with direct economic value in reduced treatment cost, reduced pen downtime, and improved first-period weight gain.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nWhat is the ideal silage species for feedlot pre-conditioning in Queensland?<\/span>+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Whole-plant sorghum silage (baled pre-chopped at soft-dough stage) is the preferred species for Queensland feedlot transition feeding because of its availability, yield, and moderate starch content (18 to 28% DM starch in the grain fraction) that bridges the gap between pasture (near-zero starch) and grain ration (60 to 75% starch). Mixed cereal silage from oats, barley, or wheat at the flag-leaf to early-dough stage is the second choice \u2014 lower starch but higher palatability for some transition cattle. Pure ryegrass or lucerne silage is excellent nutritionally but lower starch and more expensive to produce than sorghum in Queensland conditions.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nHow do I calculate the silage storage requirement for a 1,000-head annual feedlot programme?<\/span>+<\/span><\/summary>\n
At 3.5 kg DM silage per head per day for a 21-day transition, total per lot: 3.5 \u00d7 21 = 73.5 kg DM per head. For 1,000 head per year across 5 lots of 200 head: 1,000 \u00d7 73.5 = 73,500 kg DM annual requirement. At 200 kg DM per 1.25 m bale: 368 bales per year. Add 25% buffer: 460 bales storage target. At 1.25 m bale dimensions, 460 bales in two rows of 230, two layers high requires approximately 35 m \u00d7 6 m of storage pad \u2014 210 m\u00b2 of compacted gravel pad.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

\"9GL-2.5\/2.9<\/p>\n

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EverPower Baling Machinery \u00b7 Condell Park NSW 2200<\/div>\n

Discuss Your Feedlot Silage Programme<\/h2>\n

Tell us your annual lot volume, transition programme length, and available forage area \u2014 we’ll help calculate the baling system that covers your pre-conditioning silage requirement.<\/p>\n

Request a Quote<\/a> About EverPower<\/a><\/div>\n
+61 2 9708 3322<\/a>  |  \u2709 sales@silage-baler.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Feedlot \u00b7 QLD & NSW \u00b7 Transition Feeding Feedlot Pre-Condition: Using Silage in the Transition Yard How silage buffers rumen adaptation in the 21-day transition from pasture to grain \u2014 the feeding programme that reduces acidosis risk and improves subsequent grain conversion. The 21-Day Problem Every Feedlot Operator Knows Cattle transitioning from pasture to grain-based […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-applications"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1026"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1032,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions\/1032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/bn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}