On most cattle farms, maize silage is the most important basic feed, followed by grass silage. Silage maize provides the highest yields, a balanced nutrient profile, excellent digestibility, and a high energy content. For grassland farms, varieties that produce particularly starchy silage are available. These are ideal in feed rations that contain high proportions of grasses and legumes. However, if the maize is intended to make up around 70% of the feed ration, varieties with different nutrient profiles should be chosen. In these cases, lower starch content is acceptable to prevent the risk of rumen acidosis caused by excessive acidification. The primary focus should be on high cell wall digestibility, as maize silage occupies a large volume in the ration and should be used most effectively.
