The importance of quality forages in your dairy ration is far greater than you might think. The best formulated rations have difficultly overcoming the effect of poor quality feeds. In fact, it will be impossible to achieve optimal production with poor quality forage. Factors lowering quality include high NDF and lignin, undigestible kernels, molds and undesirable yeasts, butyric acid, and levels of other organic acids that are too low to properly reduce pH.

With harvest time upon us we would like to make mention of some important things that should be done when making corn silage for maximum profit. Many top producers have been using these management practices for years!

Moisture: Optimal moisture for upright silos and bags is approximately 62-68% and for bunkers, 65-70%. Harvesting within this range allows for the best fermentation as it aids in packing of the silage which excludes oxygen. If moisture is too low, silage will not pack well and will lead to spoilage. Moisture can only be accurately determined by whole plant chopping and drying, either with a microwave or Koster Tester.

Kernel Milk Line v.s. Dent: Silage should be harvested at 1/3 to 1/2 milk line. If you cut the kernel from the tip to the base, the fluid milk-solid starch line can be evaluated. This changes so quickly that you almost need to start at early dent, because the milk line will disappear so fast that the kernels will get hard before you finish!

Particle Length: The theoretical length of cut (TLC) should be around 3/8 to 1/2 inch. A longer TLC makes packing the silage more difficult and lessens the chance of good fermentation, while a shorter TLC can greatly reduce the effective fiber value of the silage.

Cutting Height: Normal cutting height has been around 8-10". According to research done at the USDA Forage and Research Center, Larry Satter has preliminary information that indicates a cutting height of 20" will reduce total plant moisture content and NDF levels (especially the lignin fraction) by 3%, allowing producers to start cutting earlier, along with increased digestibility. A cutting height of 26-27" will reduce NDF by 4.5% and could reduce moisture by 5%. Expect a reduction of 7-8% in tonnage yield (about 2 ton per acre). We want this higher quality corn silage for milking cows, but cutting lower and gaining the additional NDF may be an advantage for heifers and dry cows, especially if you do not have other high fiber quality forages available. This practice is similar to what we have done by removing the cob from the diet by the use of shelled corn. With todays high production demands, there is no room in a milking ration for low quality ingredients!

Satter adds that another advantage of cutting corn silage higher, would be the possible reduction of soil erosion, which, in itself is worth a lot on some fields. Nitrate levels in the lower stalk are normally much greater, so increased cutting height is a good practice for this reason.

Processing: Properly processed corn silage will provide better digestibility due to breaking of the kernels while maintaining a desirable particle length. This greatly reduces corn in the manure and is especially beneficial when kernels are beyond 1/3 to 1/2 milk stage. Corn silage harvested at moistures below 63% often have harder kernels that need processing.

Packing and Filling: Regardless of your storage method, silage needs to be packed tightly. Bunkers need a lot of tractor time and bags need higher tensions. Silos need fast filling, good distribution and leveling when full.

Inoculant: Treating corn silage with inoculant such as ANC's Pro-Store (Pro-Store WSC is specific for Corn Silage) can provide insurance against negative fermentation factors. The addition of beneficial bacteria and enzymes to corn silage preserve the energy value of the forage, reduce heating, extend bunk life, lower the pH of the silage and reduce the growth of undesirable bacteria, molds and yeasts. When silage heats, much energy is lost. An example you can relate to is how much heating occurs when you leave a load of freshly cut silage stand overnight! Better fermentation enhances dry matter intake which leads to more milk. Treating corn silage also reduces dry matter loss in storage. A 4% reduction adds up to 40 tons of additional silage in a 1000 ton bunker, which at $25/ton is worth $1000!