Silage Feeding Chart: How Much Silage for Cows & Buffaloes

The most common question we get from farmers is simple: how much silage should I feed? The answer depends on the animal's body weight, whether she is milking, and how much milk she gives. The chart below is the one our team uses when we prepare a ration for a new customer, and it works for crossbred cows, desi cows and buffaloes alike.

Milking cow or buffalo (400–450 kg body weight): 18–25 kg of corn silage per day, split into two feeds, with 4–6 kg of dry fodder and concentrate at roughly 1 kg for every 2.5 litres of milk. High-yielding crossbreds giving 15 litres or more sit at the top of this range; a buffalo giving 6–8 litres sits in the middle.

Dry or pregnant animal: 10–15 kg of silage with 5–6 kg of dry fodder and 1–1.5 kg of concentrate. Do not starve dry animals — the last weeks of pregnancy decide the next lactation — but do not overfeed them either, or calving problems increase.

Heifer (6–18 months): 6–10 kg of silage, 2–3 kg of dry fodder and about 1 kg of concentrate, so she grows steadily and comes into heat on time.

Calves above 3 months: start with 1–2 kg and increase slowly as the rumen develops. Younger calves should stay on milk, calf starter and good-quality hay.

Bulls and gaushala adults: 12–18 kg of silage, around 5 kg of dry fodder and 0.5–1 kg of concentrate. Many gaushalas run a full ration built on silage bales for around ₹50 per animal per day.

Goats and sheep: 1–3 kg of silage, about 0.5 kg of dry fodder and 200–300 g of concentrate.

Every ration also needs 50 g of mineral mixture and about 30 g of salt per adult animal per day, and unlimited clean water. A milking cow can drink 80–120 litres a day — silage does not replace water.

The 10-day switch-over plan. Days 1–3: mix 3–5 kg of silage into the usual green or dry fodder, fed after milking when appetite is highest. Days 4–7: raise it to 8–10 kg per adult animal and cut dry fodder by the same weight. Days 8–10: move to the full ration from the chart, split into two feeds. Week 3: record milk every day. Most farmers see 1.5–2.5 litres more per animal and firmer dung; now fine-tune concentrate to 1 kg per 2.5 litres of milk.

Why keep some dry fodder? Silage can replace all of your green fodder, but the rumen still needs long fibre to chew cud and stay healthy. Keep 4–6 kg of dry fodder for adult animals. A silage-only diet works only in a scientifically balanced total mixed ration.

When to feed. Feed silage after milking rather than just before, and keep the feeding area clean. Offer it in two meals — morning and evening — rather than one big heap, so it stays fresh and intake stays high. Throw away any left-over silage that has heated or changed smell before the next feed.

How many bales do I need? Multiply your animals by their daily ration. For example, 10 milking animals at 20 kg each eat 200 kg a day, or about 6 tonnes a month. Remember that an opened bale should be finished within 3–5 days: a herd eating 80–130 kg a day finishes a 400 kg bale in time, while a farmer with two or three animals should choose smaller 100 kg bales so nothing goes to waste.

Common mistakes. Switching the whole ration in one day (causes loose dung and a drop in milk); feeding silage with no mineral mixture; leaving an opened bale uncovered for a week; and cutting concentrate too far because 'silage is enough'. Silage is the foundation of the ration, not the whole ration.

Want a chart for your own herd? Send us the number of animals, their type and daily milk on WhatsApp and our team will prepare a free ration chart with your first order of Richnest corn silage bales.