Using Urea and Anhydrous Ammonia
on Corn Silage

When treated silage is fed to ruminant animals it provides a good source of soluble nitrogen. This nitrogen is then used by the animals first stomach to synthesize microbial protein which the animal can use for growth and production.

Nitrogen makes up approximately 16% of the average feed protein, so one kilo of nitrogen from urea or anhydrous can provide the means for the animal's rumen to make 6.25 kilos of protein.

Urea is 45% nitrogen, anhydrous ammonia is 82% nitrogen. Only small amounts of these compounds are needed to dramatically increase the nitrogen content of the silage. By adding 10 lbs of urea to 2000 lbs corn silage at 30% dry matter will increase the crude protein by approx. 3%. Similarly 6 to 6.5 lbs of anhydrous will do the same job.

Considerations

• the finer the chop the better preserving quality of the silage
• products increase bunk life, may improve intakes
• dry silage a problem, has to be less than 40% dry matter preferably less than 33% dry matter
• anhydrous takes specialized equipment, Cold flow unit to liquefy ammonia and accurate flow meter to measure application rates.
• both products are most easily dealt with in a bunker silo storage system.
• hot spots or areas where uneven distribution has occurred are common when urea has been applied. Urea should be applied with a dry innoculant applicator to ensure even distribution.

 Cautions

• pure urea is poisonous to livestock, many times cattle have been poisoned by getting into a bag of urea.
• anhydrous ammonia is potentially very dangerous should the delivery system develops a leak. Severe burns and lung damage could result.
• silage run-off from nitrogen treated silos is much more potentially dangerous to water courses. Applying nitrogen to very wet corn silage should be avoided.
• feed grade urea should be used to ensure quality assurance.

 Summation

• when using these nitrogen products, producers should check and double check their estimates of silage volume and the amount of product applied. Anhydrous ammonia nurse tanks should be weighed before and after application to verify the amount of product that disappeared or was used in application.
• at present these products are very attractive from both price and from feed utilization view.

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