Three comparisons were made, with non‐lactating fistulated cows, of the voluntary intake of silage and hay prepared from similar herbage. On average 28% more dry matter was eaten as hay than as silage. Silage and hay had similar digestibilities, but silage residues tended to remain in the gut longer than those of hay. The amount of digesta in the reticulo‐rumen immediately after a mealad lib. was greater with hay than with silage. The cows spent longer eating and ruminating per kg dry matter of silage than of hay. The results are discussed in relation to possible factors determining the voluntary intake of sil