The Corn Feed

In my travels this fall and when speaking with dairy producers, nutritionists, consultants, veterinarians and seed partners marketing NutriDense corn silage hybrids, one question invariably arises: “Is NutriDense similar to brown midrib (BMR) corn silage?”

The easy answer is “No,” but there is definitely a series of discussions and questions to address when comparing these two silage types.  There may be some similarities relative to improved overall fiber digestibility.  NutriDense, however, provides a high-quality, highly digestible source of rumen effective fiber. Supplemental sources of effective fiber (e.g., straw) are often needed in BMR-based rations to stimulate rumen peristalsis. In contrast, the fiber composition and digestibility attributes of NutriDense allow for a reduction in the need for supplemental effective fiber as well as starch sources in NutriDense-based rations, especially when high levels of corn silage are fed. Nevertheless, once the fiber digestibility differences are discussed, the conversation ultimately turns to the economic side of the corn silage equation, but taking a more holistic, whole-farm approach.

We fully realize maximizing feed efficiency in the herd is of paramount importance to overall profitability, especially with the high commodity and ingredient prices we are currently experiencing. Moreover, even if we can increase Dry Matter Intake (DMI) with high-quality corn silage, we must also ask ourselves if the added intake is being utilized in an efficient manner. We all agree that evaluating and monitoring feed efficiency in the herd is critical. At the same time, we must not forget to evaluate the costs associated with producing high-quality corn silage and their impact on subsequent feed efficiency measures.

Dairy producers, as well as their contract silage growers, demand a high-quality, highly digestible corn silage, but not at the expense of yield and agronomic factors (e.g., standability, disease and insect resistance). All corn silage is not created equal relative to cost/lb. of Dry Matter (DM), and only after truly evaluating these costs will a herd’s feed efficiency measures provide accurate, actionable information.

• How many acres does it take to meet a particular dairy’s silage needs for the year?
• What are the seed, fertilizer and chemical costs associated with filling those bunkers or other storage facilities?

These costs are directly associated with corn silage cost/lb. of DM in the ration and should be scrutinized and addressed for accurate determination of feed efficiency in a herd.

You may ask yourself, why does this matter? Well, I am reminded of an old saying encouraging our forefathers to, “Go west young man!” Why? Land, of course! Now I don’t claim to know every dairy producer’s situation, but in our current environment of commodity prices, not to mention ever-increasing land values and rent, I am completely confident that generating the greatest value of high-quality corn silage off a limited acreage should be our number one priority.  On a dairy farm, an acre of ground is not for making silage; it is for making milk, and this is precisely where the NutriDense advantage is clearly evident.

Based on 2008 and 2009 data from University, third party and BASF Plant Science trials, NutriDense hybrids yielded 2.87 greater wet tons per acre compared to BMR hybrids (equivalent to a 10% yield advantage for NutriDense).  Moreover, cows fed NutriDense corn silage were 6.3% more efficient in converting DM to milk compared to those fed BMR (Cornell, 2010).*  Interestingly enough, that trial also showed that the milk production improvements observed when feeding BMR hybrids were merely a function of increased DMI, and not a product of improved feed efficiency.  This increased DMI of BMR, in turn, results in more acres of a potentially lower-yielding hybrid being required to meet the dairy’s silage needs, not to mention addressing the subsequent associated land, seed, fertilizer and chemical costs.

Keeping in mind our goal of producing the most value from a limited or specific number of acres, NutriDense truly is the “synergy of quantity and quality.” In addition to offering excellent tonnage, NutriDense also provides a high-quality, highly digestible source of rumen effective fiber, proven to provide significant improvements in feed efficiency and subsequent whole-farm profitability.

Dr. Christopher Peter is a field nutritionist for BASF Plant Science. You can contact him at christopher.peter@basf.com.

* Chase, L.E.  2010.  Milk production and feed efficiency in dairy cows fed corn silage hybrids varying in fiber digestibility.  2010 ADSA PSA AMPA CSAS ASAS Joint Annual Meeting, Denver CO.   Abstract #813.