Daily liveweight gains of groups of animals fed on simultaneously harvested unwilted silage, partially wilted silage, barn-dried hay and tetrapod hay were similar although the DM intakes of the hays were 20 to 30% greater than those of unwilted silage. Intakes and weight gains on fodders cut at the time of ear emergence were approximately 12 and 100% greater, respectively, than on those cut 2 weeks later. Although DM yield/ac was 60% greater for the late-cut fodders, liveweight gain and carcass gain per acre were higher for early-cut fodders. Carcass gain per ac and per 100 lb liveweight gain, and also energy storage, were much greater in silage-fed than in hay-fed animals.