A lot of consideration and planning goes into all production farming practices. Corn silage, being a single harvest crop, requires considerably less labor and machinery time than other forages, making it a great choice to incorporate into well-managed forage practices.
Because of this, we are taking corn silage back to the basics and covering the fundamental guidelines that can help to increase yield and improve herd quality once it’s planted.
Weed Management
When crops have to compete with weeds for nutrients and water it will considerably affect your yield. Additionally, weed competition has been proven to greatly impact digestibility and protein content of silage. This competition can stunt the growth of your corn plants and possibly the size of the developing ear. Producers should be sure to scout their fields and apply timely herbicide applications when needed.
Harvest Decisions
A producer’s main concern when harvesting corn silage is to harvest the crop at the right time. Once the crop is determined to be at the correct moisture and maturity level, producers should harvest the crop quickly – trying to avoid excess run-off – and then store and process the corn silage in a manner that eliminates oxygen. The timeline of these steps will vary by region, but they are all equally important.
The quality of your corn silage will be affected by the maturity at harvest, as it influences grain content and moisture. As corn plants mature, they lose moisture. This lack of moisture causes starch to replace sugar, fiber and ash – resulting in reduced stover digestibility.
To learn more about corn silage, check out the links below:
