15 Ate Today? Thank a Farmer. Better Farming | September 2024 managing corn Silage ble, use local data to assess the performance of the various hybrid genetics. Other considerations include standability, especially if there is the potential for taking some of the acreage for high moisture or grain corn. Relative maturity is vital to ensure the crop has a chance to succeed, and finally, fibre digestibility is a quality component. On that extensive list of selection criteria, you will notice that fibre digestibility is last. This is a component of silage that is controlled by growing environment and is not something that should be used as a differentiator between non-BMR hybrids. In 2024 so far, we have had ample rain and growth. If this weather trend continues through tassel time, expect lower than average digestible corn. If fibre digestibility is top of mind, BMR is the way to go. “Today’s brown mid-rib corn hybrids are very different than what most folks are used to,” says Bill Mahanna, global nutritional sciences manager with Corteva Agriscience. “We have seen huge gains in the yield of these hybrids, bringing them almost on par with their non-BMR counterparts.” Today’s BMR corn hybrids also have made advancements in plant health and starch yield, while maintaining the fibre digestibility advantage they have become known for. The other important hybrid selection criteria to consider is relative maturity. Think of the end in mind when it comes to picking maturities ranges. Ask yourself, “On average, how many days does it take to put up corn silage?” If you harvest corn silage in two to four days, keeping to one maturity range of corn silage is recommended. If harvest takes a week or more and the harvest is all stored in one structure (bunker/upright silo, etc.), then spreading harvest maturities may be advisable to avoid rapid dry down in the field and avoiding dry silage at peak harvest times. The rule of thumb is selecting a hybrid that is five to 10 days longer than what is adapted for grain corn, or about 250 CHUs longer. Whether it is five days or 10 days depends on your risk tolerance for frost and what other activities you have planned in the fall. If you have manure to get out or a cover crop to plant, plan to use a shorter hybrid. Crop management Overall production tips that are common for grain corn production are the same for silage production. I always tell silage producers I work with, “Plant your silage corn first and plant it on the best land you have available.” Making top-notch silage is key, as your cows need consistent high-quality corn silage with nutritional qualities that help achieve high milk production. Tonnage comes into play from a return-on-investment standpoint as well. Like grain corn, corn silage population strategies should be based on yield environments and water holding capacity at a field and sub-field level. For dual purpose or specific silage (non-BMR), plant 2,000 to 4,000 more plants per acre than grain corn. Working with your agronomy team, determine the hybrid’s response to different populations, and your yield environment to find the sweet spot for population. On the other side, BMR hybrids are not pushed to the same extent for population. “BMR is water-sensitive, so we don’t want to inadvertently put the crop in a stress situation by increasing our population,” notes Mahanna. Now that the crop is up and going, what do we look for next? Fungicides in corn silage are becoming more normal across livestock- producing areas for their benefit to both silage yield and quality, as well as their importance in protecting the plant against disease that could produce toxins. Data from Ohio State University has demonstrated that proper fungicide application has reMaximizing nutritional value leads to healthier, more productive dairy herds. Paul Hermans photo
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