National Drought Mitigation Center

High Grain Rations

Limit-Fed, high grain rations


  • Machinery to deliver ration
  • Need plenty of bunk space (24”-36”/head)
  • If grain is fed on the ground - need to account for losses
  • Be consistent with amount delivered daily
  • If a supplement is fed, include an ionophore
  • Do not finely grind forage or grain

Limit-fed, high grain rations


  • Hard to balance with low quality forage
    • for cows in mid to late gestation
  • Cows will act hungry and appear gaunt
  • In lactation ration assume that the calf will eat 1% of their body weight
  • May need to sort young cows from old cows

Salt & Mineral free-choice


  • May need more calcium??

Limitations of limit-fed grain rations

  • May not fit large cow/calf operations
    • May not have equipment to deliver the grain
    • Cubing the ration is an option - increases costs
  • Expensive forage may be the best option for some operations.

Consider by-products feeds


  • Distillers grains, corn gluten feeds, wheat mids