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"Can this damaged corn be salvaged for corn silage?" is being
asked of Dave Fischer, who is based in Edwardsville. "The
answer to this question depends on the plant moisture, maturity
at the time of wind damage, stalk integrity and the weather
conditions that followed the damage," he said.
"The bottom line is that good silage management protocol must
be followed when trying to salvage wind-, weather-damaged corn
as a nutritive feed product for livestock."
Fischer outlined the steps producers need to follow.
The quality of corn silage will depend greatly on the
moisture level at time of harvesting, he noted. Harvesting corn
silage too high or too low in moisture will result in poorly
fermented feed with possible problems related to reduced
palatability and mold-causing organisms.
"In order to achieve optimum quality ensiled corn silage, the
silage moisture level must be between 62 and 70 percent,
depending on the storage structure," said Fischer. "Therefore,
be cautious when deciding the correct time to chop wind-damaged
corn for ensiling. Even though corn higher in moisture can be
chopped and fed daily as green chop, do not plan to put it into
storage until proper moisture levels can be achieved."
Recommended levels for whole-plant moisture will vary for
different storage structures. Adequate moisture is needed to get
good packing and air exclusion for an oxygen-free environment
and a low pH created by a quick and proper fermentation.
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Fischer said the following moisture levels are recommended for
harvesting and storing quality corn silage in various storage
structures: horizontal bunker silos and piles, 65-70 percent; bag
silos, 62-70 percent; and upright concrete stave silos, 62-67
percent. "It is recommended to take representative chopped samples
to a forage testing laboratory for a quick moisture-dry matter
analysis before beginning the silo filling process," he said. "Other
methods to determine moisture levels in corn silage can be
accomplished on-farm with a Koster moisture tester and microwave
ovens.
"However, the operator technique is extremely important in
achieving accurate estimates of corn silage moisture content with
these on-farm practices. Therefore, a lab analysis is the preferred
method because it will greatly reduce the sample variability and
result in a more accurate reading."
Producers should also consider the use of inoculants, he added.
"Weather-damaged corn may be lacking in the necessary sugars and
lactic acid bacteria for proper fermentation," he said. "Therefore,
the use of inoculants containing lactic acid bacteria is recommended
to help ensure a good fermentation for the corn silage in storage.
"In addition, the use of inoculants can help improve dry matter
recovery from the silo and animal performance."
[University
of Illinois Extension news release] |
