production of corn silage in northern latitudes ... · • hybrid/variety: bmr corn • stage of...

Lauer © 1994-2017http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu

Production of Corn Silage in Northern Latitudes:Management Pointers

Joe LauerUniversity of Wisconsin – Madison

2017 Crop Management Tune-upTruro and Berwick, Nova Scotia, Canada

March 28-29, 2017

http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/


• Some basic silage biology

• Profit robbers and Yield drivers

• Silage value

• What typically ends up as corn silage?✓Un-adapted hybrid

✓Late-planted

✓Stress (hail, drought, flood, frost, N, pests, etc.)

✓Worst fields on the farm

2

Overview



3

Range and Relative Impact (%) of Management Decisions on Silage Yield and Quality

FactorN

TrialsYieldT/A

Milk per TonLb milk/T

Milk per AcreLb milk/A

HybridTop v. Bottom Entry

204 3.1 (39%) 477 (14%) 11,500 (43%)

Hybrid maturityEarly- v. Late-Trials

232 0.1 (0%) 0(0%) 12 (0%)

Hybrid typeBMR v. Leafy v. Average

126 -1.4 (18%) 200 (6%) -4000 (16%)

Plant density22K v. 40K

31 1.2 (14%) -130 (4%) 2900 (10%)

Planting dateApril 24 v. June 16

28 2.2 (27%) 110 (3%) 7800 (30%)

Row Spacing30” v. 15”

13 0 (0%) 8 (0%) 70 (0%)

RotationCC v. CS v. CSW

3 7.7 v. 8.3 (7%) ? ?

Soil Fertility160 v. 0 lb N/A

Many 20 to 50% change

Stress: Drought, Flooding,

Hail, Early Frost-- “Difficult to predict”

Pest ControlPoor v. Good

--“Do for silage what you do for grain.”

Economic thresholds tend to be lower.Harvest timingWet (R3) v. Dry (R5.5)

5 4.4 (40%) 490 (15%) 12,000 (38%)

Lauer, 1995-2012



80 to 98% starch digestibility

•Kernel maturity

•Kernel particle size

•Endosperm properties

•Duration of silage fermentation

40 to 70% NDFD

•Lignin/NDF

✓Hybrid

✓Maturity

✓Cutting height

•Quality off fermentation

Grain = ~40-45% of DM

•Ave. starch = 30% of DM

•Variable grain:stover✓Environment (GxE) has a

greater effect on grain

Stover = ~55-60% of DM

•Avg. NDF= 47% of DM

•Variable grain:stover✓Leaves= 15% of DM

✓Stem= 20-25% of DM

✓Cob+Shank+Husk=20% of DM

Kinetics

24 v. 30 v. 48 hours

Corn Silage

4

Additives



5

Desirable Forage Characteristics

• What makes a good forage? (Carter et al., 1991)✓High yield

✓High energy (high digestibility)

✓High intake potential (low fiber)

✓High protein

✓Proper moisture at harvest for storage

• Ultimate test is animal performance✓Milk2006 is our best predictor for

performance (Schwab - Shaver equation)



• Principles for Selection✓ Use independent yield trial data of multi-

location averages

✓ Evaluate consistency of performance

Grain Silage

Yield Yield

Moisture Milk per Acre

Lodging Milk per Ton

✓ Every hybrid must stand on its own for performance; it must pull its own weight.

✓ Pay attention to seed costs.

➢ For selection decisions made in August and September, use results from the previous year.

➢ http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Season/DSS.aspx

✓ Buy the traits you need

• “Traits do not add to yield … Traits protect yield.”

6

Selecting Corn Hybrids in the Transgenic EraIncreasingly Hybrid Selection Dictates Management



0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Sila

ge y

ield

diffe

rence (

T/A

)

Average difference= 3.1 T/A

0

4000

8000

12000

16000

20000

24000

Sila

ge M

ilk p

er A

cre

diffe

rence (

lb/A

)

Average difference= 10,600 lb milk/A

7

Silage yield and Milk per Acre difference between the highest and lowest corn hybrid in UW trials

Lauer et al., 1995-2015

N= 334 trials; 33,136 plots



Grain versus Forage Corn Hybrids

Genetics Management

Trait Grain Forage Practice Grain Forage

Grain yield

High AdequatePlant population

28,000-34,000 plants/A

2000-4000 plants/A more

Forageyield

Adequate HighPlanting date

Early Early to 7 d later

Hybridrange

3.2 T DM/A 10,700 lb Milk/ARow spacing

+3-5% w/ narrow +5-7% w/ narrow

Stalks Standability DigestibilitySoil fertility

Adequate Greater

Leaves Unknown DigestibilityPest resistance

Important More important

Plantmaturity

“Full-season” 5-10 d longerCutting height

Ear Yield v Quality

Plantdrydown

“Stay-green” SynchronousHarvest timing

Drying cost Sour v Moldy

Kernelhardness

Hard Soft

8



Figure 4. Relationship between Milk per Acre and Milk per Ton of corn hybrids in North Central Wisconsin during 2015

• Trial average

✓ Milk per Acre

✓ Milk per Ton

• LSD

✓ Hybrids are different if they lie outside the size of the oval.



• Single genes

✓ bm1, bm2, bm3, bm4

✓ First discovered in 1924 in St. Paul, MN

• Less lignin

✓ higher digestibility

• Agronomics??

• Effects seem somewhat unpredictable in real life

✓Most benefits seen with high-producing animals consuming high-forage diets

How important is stover?Stover Extremes: Bmr v. Leafy/Normal/Transgenic



Factors Affecting the Stover Pool (NDFD)

• Crop: Legume vs. Grass vs. Corn Silage

• Hybrid/Variety: BMR corn

• Stage of maturity at harvest

• Cutting height

• Climatic Conditions

• Quality of silage fermentation

• Impact of NDFD (Oba and Allen, 1999)

✓ For every 1%-unit increase in NDFD:

➢ DMI= 0.17 kg (0.37 lb)

➢ FCM= 0.25 kg (0.55 lb)

✓ Differences in the value of corn silage comes down to the value of the stover as perceived by the dairyman.

✓ Currently not important to most dairymen

• How many tons do you handle? Handling, hauling and storage costs are more expensive for poor quality silage

✓ Becomes more important as dairies become larger

IVNDFD



Germ scutellum and embryonic axis.✓Germ larger in short season corn and in HOC (at the expense of starch). ✓In HOC, each 1% unit increase in oil, expect 1.3% unit lower starch.

Pericarp(bran)

Floury endosperm.✓More “open” in structure yet opaque in appearance. ✓Dent corn has about equal proportions of horny to floury starch (vs popcorn w/ mostly vitreous starch.

Dent (due to soft floury endosperm)

Vitreous endosperm.✓Also called horneous, corneous or hard endosperm. ✓Primary starch in flint corn.✓Source of dry milling grits. ✓Tightly compacted and translucent. ✓Higher in CP than floury starch. ✓More of this starch in mature, high test weight kernels. ✓The last starch laid down in the kernel during the last few weeks of development.

Diagram Source: Hoseney, 1986. Principles of Cereal Scienceand Technology. Am Assoc of Cereal Chemists, St. Paul, MN

Hilum or abscission layer.Alsocalled black layer. ✓Caused by collapse and compression of several layers of cells at physiological maturity.✓Cool weather can cause premature BL.

12



• Grain:stover ratio (starch content): corn is about 70-72% starch DM basis

✓ Influenced by hybrid, environment and management

✓ Managing corn for silage should be the same as corn for grain.

• Grain type

✓ Flint vs dent type

✓ Starch polymers in endosperm

✓ Fermentation removes zein proteins

• Kernel Texture

✓ Hard vs soft

✓ Particle Size: Processing increases availability

✓ Starch vitreousness

• Grain Moisture and Test Weight

✓ Highly related to texture but determined at grain maturity

✓ Not typically measured at silage harvest

13

Factors Affecting the Starch Pool

Firkins et al., 2001

y = 0.13x + 20.58R² = 0.70

30

31

32

33

34

35

80 85 90 95 100

Mil

k Y

ield

( k

g/d

)

Total Tract Starch Digestion(% of Starch)



14

Optimizing bmr corn for silage production –Do recommendations differ between normal and bmr corn?

Trait(s) GxEForage yield NDF NDFD Starch Milk2006

N T DM/A % % % Lbs/T Lbs/A

Normal 3398 7.8 47 59 30 3100 25000

Bmr 126 6.4 48 67 26 3300 21000

Leafy 240 8.1 48 59 27 3100 25000

LSD(0.05) 0.6 2 1 4 100 2000

Average 7403 8.0 47 58 30 3100 25000

• Bmr = Less lignin, higher stover digestibility

• Effects unpredictable in real life✓Most benefits seen with high-producing

animals consuming high-forage diets

Lauer, 1990-2010; UW ST trials= 266; n= 21,420



Relative performance of Bmr and Leafy hybrids Difference = hybrid average – trial average, Code above= Year

Lauer, 1997-2010



Corn silage quality of feed concentrations from the trials used in the meta-analysis

Control bm3

Average Std. Dev. Average Std. Dev.

DM, % of as fed 33.5 3.3 32.5 3.9

Starch, % of DM 30.5 2.9 29.9 4.2

NDF, % of DM 42.0 1.7 40.9 2.1

ivNDFD, % of NDF 46.1 9.2 57.6 7.7

Gencoglu et al., 2001 – Meta-analysis of 11 trials in JDS



17

Effect of brown midrib (bm3) corn silage in diets fed to dairy cows

Control bm3 SE (P <)

Dry Matter Intake, kg/d 24.2 25.4 0.7 0.001

Milk, kg/d 37.7 39.4 1.5 0.0001

Fat, %

kg/d

3.67

1.36

3.59

1.40

0.1

0.04

0.10

0.02

Protein, %

kg/d

3.08

1.15

3.07

1.20

0.05

0.04

NS

0.001

Gencoglu et al., 2001 – Meta-analysis of 11 trials in JDS



• Too wet (> 70%)✓ reduced yield

✓ souring

✓ seepage

✓ low intake by dairy cows

• Too dry (< 60%)✓ reduced yield

✓ cause molds to develop

✓ lowers digestibility, protein and vitamins A and E

• The decision of when to harvest corn silage depends upon the ideal moisture for the storage structure.

18

Harvest TimingSilage Problems When Harvest Timing Is Off …



At some point during the season, yield becomes secondary.Kernel Milk Stage “Triggers” for Timing Silage Harvest

Silo structureIdeal moisture

contentKernel milk stage

"trigger"

% %

Horizontal bunker 70 to 65 80

Bag 70 to 60 80

Upright concrete stave 65 to 60 60

Upright oxygen limiting 60 to 50 40

19



20

Normal Pattern of Corn Forage and Grain Development

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Re

lati

ve m

eas

ure

(%

)

Forage moisture

Milk per Ton

Milk per Acre

Grain yield

Grain moisture

July 1 July 15 July 29 Aug 12 Aug 26 Sep 9 Sep 23 Oct 7 Oct 21V12 R1 R2 R4 R5 R5.5 R6

Silage Shredlage

Silage

HMCEarlageToplageSnaplage

GrainBottomlage

Pollination success✓ If poor, then harvest anytime✓ If fair, then leave for silage harvest✓ If good, then normal management



21

Cutting Height Effect on Silage Yield & Quality

80

85

90

95

100

6 12 18

Pe

rce

nt C

ha

ng

e (

%)

Cutting height (inches)

Silage yield Milk per Ton Milk per acre Moisture

Cusicanqui and Lauer (1996)



22

Vertical plant segment forage yield, NDF and NDFD of corn at harvest for silage (R5.7), biomass (R6) and grain

Plant segment Moisture Yield NDF NDFD

% T DM/A % %

Whole-plant silage (R5.7) 71 9.4 53 54

Stover biomass

Above ear node (54-98 inches) 34 1.8 77 55

Mid-segment (26 to 54 inches) 51 1.0 75 51

Low-segment (6 to 26 inches) 68 0.8 80 46

Ground-segment (0 to 6 inches) 73 0.4 77 35

LSD (0.05) 7 1.1 3 2

Grain 5.8 (T DM/A)

245 bu/A at 15%

Wilkens and Lauer, (Means May 1 DOP, 2009-2010



23

High Moisture Corn

High Moisture Ear Corn Snaplage

Corn, % 100 84-94 75-80

Cob, % 0 10-16 10-15

Husk, % 0 0 5-10

Crude protein, % 9.5 9 8.5

The approximate dry matter composition of HMC, HMEC and Snaplage

• Advantages of HMEC and snaplage over HMC include:✓ Increased tonnage harvested per acre.

✓ Digestible and effective fiber - all the components of HMC, HMEC and snaplage are highly digestible. Corn cob and husk have the added benefit of containing effective fiber.

• Disadvantages include:✓Mycotoxin concentration in the cob portion. Avoid harvesting moldy or damaged corn as ear

corn or snaplage.

✓ Need increased storage capacity to handle the extra volume coming from the cob and husk.



In-season Guidelines for Predicting Corn Silage Harvest Date

• Note hybrid maturity and planting date of fields intended for silage.

• Note tasseling (silking) date. ✓Kernels will be at 50% kernel milk (R5.5) about 42 to 47 days after silking.

• After milkline moves, use kernel milk triggers to time corn silage harvest. ✓Use a drydown rate of 0.5% per day to predict date when field will be ready for the

storage structure.

✓See http://cf.uwex.edu/ces/ag/silagedrydown/

• Do final check prior to chopping.✓Adjust cutter height if forage needs are adequate.

➢ Raising cutter bar 1 foot, lowers silage moisture 2 to 4 points.

24


http://cf.uwex.edu/ces/ag/silagedrydown/


Relationship between corn plant density and grain yield, economic optimum (AGI), forage yield, Milk/Ton, and Milk/Acre

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55

Re

lati

ve m

eas

ure

(%

)

Harvested plant density (plants/A x 1000)

Grain yield (R2=0.76)Grain AGI (PEPS:$0.03, R2= 0.94)Forage yield (R2=0.67)Milk per ton(R2=0.73)Milk per acre (R2=0.65)

25

Lauer, 2004-2013, ArlingtonPDTs >= 4 and PD >= 40K

GrainMYPD

GrainEOPD

ForageMYPD

MilkPer Ton

MilkPer Acre



CornP2O5

(lbs)K2O(lbs)

Per Yield Unit

Grain, per bushel 0.38 0.29

Silage, per ton (65% moisture) 3.6 8.3

Per Area

Grain, 175 bushels per acre 67 51

Silage, 24 tons per acre (65% moisture)

86 199

26

Nutrients Removed by Corn at Harvest

derived from UW NPM Fast Facts



27

Available Nutrient Content in Dairy Manure

Dairy manure type N P2O5 K2O

First year

Solid (lb per ton) 3-4 3 7

Liquid (lb per 1000 gal) 7-10 5 16

Second year

Solid (lb per ton) 1 1 1

Liquid (lb per 1000 gal) 2-3 1 2

• The manure produced by a 1400 lb dairy cow =

• Solid: 148 Lb/day 27 ton/yr

• Liquid: 17.7 gal/day6500 gal/yr

derived from UW NPM Fast Facts



What is corn silage worth?

• Need to recover production costs

• Opportunity cost of marketing grain

• Value of stover✓Fertilizer

✓Quality for milk production

• Harvesting cost differences between grain and silage

• Storage losses of silage

• See http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Season/DSS.aspx

28


http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Season/DSS.aspx


29

Corn grain equivalents (at 15.5% moisture) per Ton of Silage (at 65% moisture)

Grain Yield

Bushels of Grain / Ton Silage

(1972)


(Revised 2010)


(Starch method) difference

Bu/A Bu/T Bu/T Bu/T Bu/T

Less than 90 5.0 5.0 4.4 0.6

90-110 5.5 6.4 5.4 1.0

110-130 6.0 6.9 5.8 0.9

130-150 6.5 7.3 6.2 1.1

150-170 7.0 7.5 6.5 1.0

170-190 7.0 7.6 6.7 0.9

190-210 7.0 7.5 6.9 0.6

GY = -164 + 61.6(FY) – 2.40(FY)2 R2 = 0.71GY Starch = -129 + 40.3(FY) – 0.782(FY)2 R2 = 0.88

Lauer (01HT, 02PD, 03DOP at Arlington, 1997 to 2009)



30

Bushels of grain contained in a ton of corn silage

0% moisture 60% moisture 65% moisture 70% moisture

Grain

yield @

15.5%

moisture

Silage

yield

Grain

equivalent

per ton of

silage

Silage

yield

Grain

equivalent

per ton of

silage

Silage

yield

Grain

equivalent

per ton of

silage

Silage

yield

Grain

equivalent

per ton of

silage

Bu/A T/A Bu/T T/A Bu/T T/A Bu/T T/A Bu/T

25 2.4 24.9 6.0 4.1 6.9 3.6 8.0 3.1

50 3.2 24.1 7.9 6.3 9.1 5.5 10.6 4.7

75 4.0 23.3 10.0 7.5 11.4 6.6 13.3 5.7

100 4.9 22.4 12.2 8.2 13.9 7.2 16.2 6.2

125 5.9 21.5 14.6 8.5 16.7 7.5 19.5 6.4

150 7.0 20.3 17.5 8.6 20.0 7.5 23.3 6.4

175 8.4 19.0 20.9 8.4 23.9 7.3 27.9 6.3

200 10.2 17.1 25.6 7.8 29.3 6.8 34.1 5.9

Lauer (1997-2005)



31

Location and year effect on grain equivalents (bu/T) contained in corn silage

Location Year Average

Minimum

hybrid

Maximum

hybrid

bushels of grain (15.5%) per Ton

of corn silage (65% moisture)

Arlington 2004 7.7 6.5 8.3

2005 8.6 7.8 10.5

Fond du Lac 2005 7.0 6.0 7.5

Galesville 2004 7.2 5.8 8.2

2005 8.0 7.0 8.8

Marshfield 2004 7.0 5.5 7.7

2005 6.3 4.5 7.2

Rhinelander 2005 7.7 6.7 10.3

Valders 2004 7.8 7.0 8.2

2005 7.5 6.5 8.0

Average --- 7.5 6.4 8.5

Lauer (six corn hybrids)



32

Year effect on grain equivalents contained in corn silage

Grain yield equivalent

Year 50 100 150 200 R2

bushels of grain (15.5%) per Ton

of corn silage (65% moisture)

2005 9.0 8.3 8.0 7.9 0.65

2004 3.2 5.4 6.8 6.9 0.74

2003 12.4 7.9 7.0 6.7 0.34

2002 --- --- 7.7 7.3 0.39

2001 3.1 5.5 7.2 8.0 0.42

2000 4.2 6.6 7.6 --- 0.50

1999 2.8 5.0 6.6 6.9 0.37

1998 2.7 4.9 6.4 7.2 0.35

1997 7.1 9.1 9.2 --- 0.51

Lauer (Arlington, 1997-2005)



Available at http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Season/DSS.aspx Available on Google Play

Corn Silage Pricing Decision Aids


http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Season/DSS.aspx


34

Thanks for your attention!Questions?

Phone (608) 263-7438Email: [email protected]: http://corn.agronomy.wisc.eduTwitter: @WiscCornBlog: WiscCorn.blogspot.comGoogle+: WiscCorn


mailto:[email protected]


production of corn silage in northern latitudes ... · • hybrid/variety: bmr corn • stage of...

Documents