Maximizing Corn Silage Yield and Quality - USDA ARS · Maximizing Corn Silage Yield and Quality ......

Maximizing Corn SilageMaximizing Corn SilageYield and QualityYield and Quality

Greg W. RothGreg W. RothAssociate ProfessorAssociate Professor

Department of Crop andDepartment of Crop andSoil SciencesSoil SciencesPenn StatePenn State

2003 4 State Forage Conference

Set your own objectivesSet your own objectivesfor yield and qualityfor yield and quality

uu Forage qualityForage qualityneeds of livestockneeds of livestock

uu Ability toAbility tosegregate silagessegregate silages

uu Ability to produceAbility to producefeed on your landfeed on your land

uu Cost andCost andavailability of otheravailability of otherfeedsfeeds

CP NDF NDFD Starch Milk/TonAverage 8.9 47.2 62.1 25.0 3372Min 6.8 38.4 51.0 6.5 2846Max 10.5 59.7 73.0 40.6 4066Std dev 0.9 5.0 5.1 7.5 276NRC 8.8 45.0 58.0 30.0 3318

Penn StatePenn StateCorn Silage Initiative- 2001Corn Silage Initiative- 2001

Capital Region Dairy Team

Corn silage quality variation

Manage the crop to meetManage the crop to meetyour own objectivesyour own objectives

uu ProductionProductionuu HarvestingHarvestinguu StorageStorage

Silage Yield and Quality is afunction of three key

components of the process:

Production: Planting PracticesProduction: Planting Practices

Early planting improves both theyield and quality of corn silage

Planting Date Effect on SilagePlanting Date Effect on SilagePlanting Date Effect on Silage

22.6

21.220.3 20.1

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Yie

ld(T

/A)

30-Apr 15-May 30-May 15-Jun

Planting Date Lancaster- 1997

0.4 T/week

Planting Date Effects on QualityPlanting Date Effects on QualityPlanting Date Effects on Quality

3032343638404244464850


Planting Date

%

NDF

In situ Digest.

Lancaster- 1997

Optimize the plant populationOptimize the plant population

On good soils the optimum plantpopulation is 30,000+ plants/acre

Population Effects on YieldPopulation Effects on Yield

20212223242526272829

24 30 36 42

Plant Population (1000)

Sila

ge

Yie

ld(T

/A)

1998

1999

Mean

Centre County, PA/1999 and 2000

Population Effects onPopulation Effects onDigestibilityDigestibility

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

24 30 36 42


Wh

ole

Pla

nt

IVD

C

1998

Mean

1999

Mean: IVDC= 70.1- 0.119xPop

Centre County, PA/1999 and 2000

Optimum PopulationOptimum Population

2021222324

2526272829

24 30 36 42


Sil

age

Yie

ld(T

/A)

1998

1999

Mean

Centre County/1999 and 2000

Optimum Milk/acre

Fertility ManagementFertility Management

Penn State RecommendationsPenn State Recommendations

230230110110150150SilageSilage(21 T/A)(21 T/A)

30305050130130GrainGrain(125(125 bubu/A)/A)

K2OK2OLbs/ALbs/A

P2O5P2O5Lbs/ALbs/A

NNLbs/ALbs/A

Soil testing Optimum P, K

Hybrids

•Maturity•Yield Potential•Forage Quality

•NDF•NDFD•Starch•Milk/ton

Brand/Hybrid Dry Matter Silage Yield CP NDF Starch Sugar NFC Ash Fat Lignin NEl IVTD NDFD Milk/ton Milk/acre% Tons/acre % % % % % % % % Mcal/lb % % lbs/ton lbs/acre

Mycogen TMF108 40.1 15.8 8.0 42.7 33.8 8.1 44.0 3.5 2.7 3.6 0.72 78.7 50.6 3235 17799Dekalb DKC59-08 38.6 16.7 7.9 39.0 37.3 8.4 50.1 3.6 2.9 2.8 0.78 78.7 44.8 3158 18758Dekalb DKC60-09 36.4 16.5 8.2 40.7 34.0 10.0 46.0 3.8 2.6 3.4 0.74 80.5 51.8 3324 19299Pioneer 34M95 36.2 16.0 7.8 44.0 31.5 10.2 45.8 3.6 2.6 3.4 0.74 84.1 64.2 3747 20473Pioneer 34M94 35.6 15.5 7.7 45.3 30.3 10.6 42.5 3.5 2.7 3.7 0.71 80.9 58.4 3490 19148Chemgro 7253 RR 35.5 15.9 8.0 42.8 31.5 11.0 44.9 3.7 2.6 3.7 0.72 81.8 57.4 3480 19921Pioneer 34B23 34.9 17.2 8.0 44.5 29.2 12.0 42.3 3.9 2.8 3.9 0.70 79.9 54.7 3385 19553NK Brand N70-D5 34.7 15.8 8.1 41.0 33.1 12.0 46.1 3.7 2.5 3.5 0.73 81.5 54.6 3468 19232Wolf River Valley 2114 34.7 16.1 8.5 45.4 28.1 12.7 39.5 3.7 2.6 4.0 0.68 79.1 54.2 3283 17945Dekalb DKC58-78 34.5 14.9 8.0 41.0 33.9 9.0 46.5 4.2 2.6 3.1 0.74 80.5 52.4 3362 18475Pioneer 34B24 34.3 16.6 7.9 42.2 30.7 13.4 44.7 3.8 2.7 3.8 0.72 78.4 48.5 3168 18291Agway AG6001 34.1 16.4 8.5 42.6 31.8 10.3 44.7 4.0 2.7 3.7 0.73 80.2 53.4 3391 19472Agway AG6191 33.6 15.0 8.2 43.9 30.3 10.7 43.0 4.1 2.6 3.7 0.71 78.4 51.5 3221 16641Hytest HT 7706 32.9 15.1 8.0 43.0 31.6 11.0 45.2 3.8 2.6 3.6 0.73 79.5 51.7 3347 17396Dekalb DKC61-25 32.8 15.3 8.0 43.1 29.8 12.9 43.7 3.9 2.5 3.7 0.71 78.6 50.9 3211 17247Golden Harvest H-9233 31.2 14.5 7.8 42.8 31.7 10.7 45.4 4.1 2.5 3.5 0.73 79.0 50.2 3298 17139MEAN 35.0 15.8 8.0 42.7 31.8 10.8 44.7 3.8 2.6 3.5 0.72 80.0 53.1 3348 18549LSD 0.10 1.2 NS NS NS NS 1.0 NS NS NS NS 0.08 2.3 3.9 187 NSHybridxLocation Sig. NS Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. Sig. NS NS NS NS NSCV (%) 4.4 11.4 4.6 8.8 11.4 12.0 8.2 8.3 8.1 9.6 13.9 3.5 9.2 6.9 13.9

*Silage yields are expressed on a 35%DM basis- all other parameters are expressed on a dry matter basis.

Silage Hybrid EvaluationSilage Hybrid Evaluation

http://cornandsoybeans.psu.edu

Early Hybrids 2002 average of two locations

Yield vs. Quality: Early HybridsYield vs. Quality: Early Hybrids

14.0

14.5

15.0

15.5

16.0

16.5

17.0

17.5

3100 3200 3300 3400 3500 3600 3700 3800

Milk/ton

Yie

ld (T

/A)

Above Average YieldAbove Average Milk/ton

Below Average YieldAbove Average Milk/ton

Above Average YieldBelow Average Milk/ton

Below Average YieldBelow Average Milk/ton

Yield vs. Quality: Early HybridsYield vs. Quality: Early Hybrids

14.0

14.5

15.0

15.5

16.0

16.5

17.0

17.5

38.0 39.0 40.0 41.0 42.0 43.0 44.0 45.0 46.0

NDF (%)

Yie

ld (

T/A

)

Above Average YieldAbove Average NDF

Below Average YieldAbove Average NDF

Above Average YieldBelow Average NDF

Below Average YieldBelow Average NDF

21000

23000

25000

27000

29000

31000

2500 2600 2700 2800 2900 3000 3100

Milk per Ton (lb/T)

Milk

per

Acr

e (l

b/A

)

Dent n= 24Dent Mean

Bt n= 11Bt MeanBt,LLIMI

RR n= 3RR Meanleafy n= 4leafy Mean

NDbmr

Highyield

Highyield&

quality

Highquality

n= 47

Figure 1. Wisconsin Corn Hybrid Performance Trial Results from the Southern Zone,Late Maturity Trial at Arlington and Lancaster - 2001

Bt and RR hybridsBt and RR hybrids

Narrow RowsNarrow Rows

30 inch rows/planter 15 inch rows/planter

Yield Response to Row SpacingYield Response to Row Spacing

10

12

1416

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

Yie

ld (

T/a

cre

)

B95 B96 B97 L95 L96 Le94 Le95 M95 Q94 R95 RS94 Mean

30

15

Narrow rows: No impact on forage quality traits.

Pennsylvania 1994-1996+1.4 T/A

Yield Response to Row SpacingYield Response to Row Spacing

10

15

20

25

30

35

Yie

ld (

T/a

cre

)

1997 1998 1999 1997 1998 1999 1998 1999 1997 1998 1998 1999 Mean

30

15/20

Wisconsin 1997-1999 +1.6 T/A

Narrow Rows and Later PlantingNarrow Rows and Later PlantingNarrow Rows and Later Planting

1516171819202122232425


Planting Date

Yie

ld (

To

ns/A

)

30 inch15 inch

Lancaster- 1997 and 1998

Crop RotationsCrop Rotations

Soil Management for SilageSoil Management for Silage

uu Manage and monitorManage and monitorcompaction duringcompaction duringharvest and manureharvest and manurespreadingspreading

uu Cover crops essentialCover crops essentialfor long termfor long termproductivityproductivity

uu Consider no-tillConsider no-tilluu Consider tillage orConsider tillage or

deep tillage ifdeep tillage ifcompaction is presentcompaction is present

Maximizing CornMaximizing CornSilage ProductionSilage Production

uu Early planting and adequate populationsEarly planting and adequate populationsuu Soil fertilitySoil fertilityuu Row spacingRow spacinguu HybridsHybridsuu Crop rotationsCrop rotationsuu Soil managementSoil managementuu Weed and Insect managementWeed and Insect management

HarvestingHarvesting

Dry Matter Measurementsat Harvest are Essential

Rate of Moisture DeclineRate of Moisture Decline

303540

455055

6065

707580

14-Aug 21-Aug 28-Aug 4-Sep 11-Sep 18-Sep

Normal

Drought Stunted

Late Planted

Lancaster, 2001

HarvestWindow

Predicting HarvestPredicting Harvest

uu Chop representativeChop representativesample at early dentsample at early dent

uu Measure DMMeasure DMuu Estimate harvestEstimate harvest

date using 0.6%/daydate using 0.6%/daydrydowndrydown raterate

uu Re-evaluate prior toRe-evaluate prior toharvestharvest

Forage Particle SeparatorForage Particle SeparatorGuidelinesGuidelines

Upper Sieve: 3-8%Middle Sieve: 45-65%Lower Sieve: 30 to 40%Bottom Pan: < 5%

Heinrichs and Konoff, 2002

Processing silageProcessing silage

uu Processing increasesProcessing increases•• Starch digestibilityStarch digestibility•• Ability to pack silageAbility to pack silage•• Milk production (inMilk production (in

some trials)some trials)•• Potential to harvestPotential to harvest

longer particle sizelonger particle size

uu Processing reducesProcessing reduces•• Sorting of cobsSorting of cobs

Feeding Trials with Processed Silage

Crop ProcessingCrop Processing

uu __ inch TLC inch TLCuu 1 to 3 mm1 to 3 mm

recommended rollrecommended rollclearanceclearance-- Varies withVaries withWP and kernel moistureWP and kernel moisture

uu > 95% Kernel> 95% Kernelbreakage, and nobreakage, and nocobs > 1/8th ringcobs > 1/8th ring

Cut height effects on silage yield and qualityCut height effects on silage yield and quality(summarized from 7 studies)(summarized from 7 studies)

8.18.1-8.7-8.76.76.72.32.33.93.92.72.7-8.3-8.34.14.1-5.0-5.0

40.240.238.038.033.533.57.17.152.152.10.740.747.37.3

343034302504025040

37.237.241.641.631.431.46.96.949.949.90.710.718.08.0

329432942635326353

DM,%DM,%NDF, %NDF, %Starch, %Starch, %CP %CP %IVNDFD, %IVNDFD, %NELNELTon/ac, DMTon/ac, DMMilk, lb/tonMilk, lb/tonMilk, lb/acMilk, lb/ac

ChangeChange(%)(%)

High CutHigh Cut(20.0(20.0 ++ 3.4 3.4””))

Low CutLow Cut(7.1(7.1 ++ 3.2 3.2””))

ItemItem

Hi Chop Corn ProfitabilityHi Chop Corn Profitability

uu AnimalAnimalrequirementsrequirements

uu Ability toAbility tosegregatesegregate

uu Land baseLand baseuu ForageForage

storagestoragecapacitycapacity

Harvesting GuidelinesHarvesting Guidelines

uu Measure theMeasure themoisturemoisture

uu Monitor particleMonitor particlesizesize

uu ConsiderConsiderprocessingprocessing

uu Consider highConsider highchopchop

uu Adapt to farmAdapt to farmconditionsconditions

Storage SystemsStorage Systems

Bunker SilosBunker Silos

Watch for Holes!Watch for Holes!

Small Holes Can beSmall Holes Can beDevastatingDevastating

Poor quality silage, when mixedPoor quality silage, when mixedinto a TMRinto a TMR………………

uu Creates a poorCreates a poorquality TMRquality TMR

uu The cowThe cow’’s rumens rumenmicrobes will notmicrobes will notbe fooledbe fooled

Storage SummaryStorage Summary

uuGet the dry matter rightGet the dry matter rightuuConsider preservativesConsider preservativesuuPack pack packPack pack packuuCover-Cover- absolutely necessaryabsolutely necessaryuuSort spoiled silageSort spoiled silageuuFeed out to keep freshFeed out to keep fresh

Maximizing Yield and QualityMaximizing Yield and Quality

uu Decide on a strategy that fitsDecide on a strategy that fitsuu Plan your production accordinglyPlan your production accordinglyuu Produce and harvest your cropProduce and harvest your crop

according to the planaccording to the planuu Preserve your crop with good storagePreserve your crop with good storage

management practicesmanagement practicesuu Continually evaluate and fine tuneContinually evaluate and fine tune

your program with yield checks andyour program with yield checks andforage testingforage testing

Maximizing Corn Silage Yield and Quality - USDA ARS · Maximizing Corn Silage Yield and Quality ......

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