Field note · 3 min · 2026-09-07
The top sieve is not the goal
Long stems look like fiber and often become refusals.
ShareThe top sieve is not the goal
Penn State wants only 2–8% of a high-producing TMR on the 19 mm sieve. Piling the box with broomstick stems is not safer. Cows sort them out.
The middle and 4 mm sieves do most of the chewing work. That is the practical lesson from the 2013 box.
Enough length to chew. Not so much length that cows refuse it.
Sources
- Penn State Particle Separator — Penn State Extension
- Methods Used to Measure Forage and Ration Particle Size — Penn State Extension