Dry Processing of Light Milo

Comments by: James I. Sprague, Livestock Nutritionist

Low Feeding Value if Coarse Processed
Our experience is that most dry roll mills will not process the light test weight milo seeds, particularly the small immature berries. Therefore, the beef animal cannot digest the light test grain either in the rumen of lower tract. This is also true even for heavy weight milo. With coarse dry rolled milo, much of the grain that is fed will be in the manure.

We believe that coarse dry rolled milo is not any better than high energy corn silage. A limited amount of research indicates that there is little difference between light test weight milo and normal testing milo of 56 or more pounds per bushel. (See below picture of modestly stressed milo plants.)

Light Weight Milo Trades at a Discount
Since light weight milo trades at a discount to normal test weight milo, and if can be adequately processed, it should be considered for beef growing rations.

We do not suggest light weight milo be fed to finishing cattle unless properly processed and limited to 15 percent of the grain fed per day.

Making Light Milo Feed Better
Grind very fine with a hammer mill. Use small screens, less than one-eighth inch holes.
Check often for holes in the screens that allow berries to escape processing.

Dry roll with fine corrugations less than 8 cuts per inch if possible. A double stack roller mill is ideal. The bottom roll may be as fine as 12 corrugations per inch. This type of mill has been used successfully for dry processed milo by Professor John Brethour and co-workers at Kansas State University's experiment station at Hays, Kansas.

The fines problem and feed intake can be overcome with good bunk management and/or feeding a succulent forage like milo or corn silage along with the fine processed grain. ©