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Floods
to the north and drought to the south affect Illinois corn
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Corn
challenges for dairy
[September 14, 2007]
URBANA -- Illinois dairy producers face three
different situations as fall weather returns and they consider
options for their corn crops, said a University of Illinois
Extension dairy specialist.
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 "In northern Illinois, an excellent corn crop was developing
when some areas received 4 to 15 inches of rain, leaving some
corn submerged in 5 feet of 'dirty' water as creeks overflowed
and river bottomland flooded," said Mike Hutjens. "Corn was left
standing in water for several days, and as the corn was in the
upright position, water was trapped in the husk. The end results
of this include delayed harvest, mold and mycotoxin formation in
the grain, rotting of the corn plant, risk of lodging, dirt
contamination on and in the corn plant, and the germination of
corn on the cob."Producers in these areas should consider
strategies such as harvesting when possible at the optimal dry
matter content for silage or grain. They should monitor the
formation of mycotoxins and store silage that is convenient to
discard if it becomes unwholesome.
Producers in southern Illinois face another situation. There,
rains stopped in June, with some areas not receiving significant
moisture in July and August.
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"The corn crop is burned up and dead, ranging from 3 feet in height
with no corn due to pollination and heat stress, and variable grain
fill in pollinated cobs -- the size of the kernel and number of
kernels," he said. "Alternatives for dairy managers include
purchasing stressed corn as a forage extender.
"Drought-stressed corn silage can be a good economic decision as
hay prices exceed $150 a ton. Double-crop soybeans can be another
economic forage source if this crop has not been setting pods under
heat and moisture stress."
In central Illinois, however, Hutjens said conditions are right
for a huge corn crop, with yields over 200 bushels per acre.
"This means that 25-plus tons of corn silage per acre is
possible," he said. "Starch content in corn silage could exceed 30
percent of the dry matter. Forage quality and quantity are
excellent."
[Text from file received from
the University of
Illinois Extension] |
