Corn must be ensiled at the proper moisture to achieve the necessary fermentation for preservation. It can be difficult to determine when to harvest corn at the right whole plant moisture. The optimum plant moisture for ensiling is slightly different for each type of storage structure. Harvesting corn when it is too wet (>75% plant moisture) may result in reduced yield potential, souring, and seepage. High moisture can also reduce animal performance due to reduced palatability of the silage leading to lower total feed intake. Harvesting too dry can reduce yield potential, cause mold to develop, and lower digestibility, protein, vitamin A, and vitamin E.1,2
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For best ensiling results, corn silage should be harvested at the moisture content appropriate for the type of silo being used.
Drought-stressed corn may have a higher-than-normal concentration of nitrate in its lower stalks. High-nitrate silage (greater than 1,000 ppm) can poison livestock, especially in lower-energy rations, and pregnant cows are particularly at risk.3,5 Rainfall increases the uptake of soil nitrogen, so harvesting drought-stressed corn should be avoided within three days of rainfall.3 Research has shown that increasing the cutting height of corn silage decreases yield potential, due to the extra stalk left in the fields. However, in some situations, higher-cut corn silage can result in greater milk production per pound of silage fed.6 Increasing the cutting height from 6 to 8 inches to 18 inches above ground level may improve silage quality, because the lowest portion of the corn stalk is typically higher in fiber and lower in digestibility.7
Silage can be affected by plant diseases, especially those caused by fungi. Fungal diseases can cause a loss of dry matter because of leaf or stalk tissue death, resulting in poor ear fill, small kernels, and stalk lodging, which in turn results in reduced yield potential and reduced silage quality.8 In addition, certain fungal organisms can contaminate grain and stalks with mycotoxins, such as vomitoxin, causing serious quality problems. If fungicides labeled for corn silage are used, growers must pay close attention to the label for pre-harvest interval information.
Corn silage moisture contents increased from 58% to 63% between and .4 Harvesting may need to begin when total plant moisture is at the high end of the appropriate moisture range to avoid having excessively dried kernels by the end of the harvest. Dangerous nitrate levels should be avoided by managing harvest timing and cutting height, and disease deterioration should be avoided by prioritizing the harvest of affected fields. Once silage chopping starts, exposure to oxygen should be minimized by processing quickly and packing silage.
1 Lauer, J. . Timing corn silage harvest. Integrated Pest and Crop Management. University of Wisconsin-Madison. https://ipcm.wisc.edu/blog//08/timing-corn-silage-harvest/
2 Roth, G.W. and Heinrichs, J. . Corn silage production and management. PennState Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/corn-silage-production-and-management
3 Coulter, J. . Harvest strategies for corn silage. University of Minnesota Extension. https://extension.umn.edu/corn-harvest/harvest-strategies-corn-silage
4 Garcia, A. . Corn silage production and utilization. In Clay, D.E., S.A., Clay, and E. Byamukama (Eds.) iGROW Corn. Best Management Practices. Ch. 18. South Dakota State University.
5 Drewnoski, M. . Options for safely using high-nitrate forage: grazing, silage and haying. University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Options for Safely Using High-Nitrate Forage: Grazing, Silage and Haying | UNL Beef
6 Wu, Z. and Roth, G.W. . Considerations in managing cutting height of corn silage. PennState Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/considerations-in-managing-cutting-height-of-corn-silage
7 Cullens, F. and Thomas, C. . Managing corn silage harvest and feed bunk for nutrient retention. Michigan State University. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/managing_corn_silage_harvest_and_feed_bunk_for_nutrient_retention
8 Isleib, J. and Chilvers, M. . Diseases on corn for silage. Michigan State University. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/diseases_on_corn_for_silage
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As the sun-filled days of summer slowly slip into the crisp, cool days of fall, a late summer breeze brings in the sound of rustling corn stalks that are nearly ready to be harvested for silage. With it comes a feeling of anxiety for producers who are wondering, “Is it time to harvest?”
If this thought is racing through your mind as well, here are a few things to consider before you drive the chopper out of the shop.
“Proper harvest timing is key when it comes to storing high quality corn silage,” says Casey Guindon, an educator in field and forage crops at Penn State University. “Optimum moisture content at harvest is essential in the promotion of fermentation, which results in high quality silage. Knowing the condition of your crop is the first step in being able to make informed management decisions.”
Guindon recommends harvesting at a moisture level of 65%, or 35% dry matter, depending on the type of ensiling system you plan to use.
“At this moisture content, the silage can be adequately compressed, and the oxygen is removed more quickly,” she says. “The quick transition to an anaerobic environment promotes the development of lactobacillus bacteria. At a lower moisture content, oxygen is not quickly excluded, and mold can continue to grow and heat the silage. At a higher moisture content, clostridia bacteria begin to grow, and create silage that smells rancid -- resulting in lower palatability and quality.”
Another way to estimate the timing at which the corn is right is to calculate the number of days after pollination, according to Emily Carolan, a territory manager for Pioneer Seeds. This can helpful in providing an idea as to when to run plant moisture samples.
“Once [the corn] hits half milkline, we know whole plant moisture will start to drop, so chopping should be close by,” Carolan says.
When the moisture content is right, start harvesting earlier rather than later, recommends Donna Amaral-Phillips, an extension professor at the University of Kentucky.
“Harvest over as short a time frame as possible,” she says. “Quality and consumption drops off after [you reach] 40% dry matter.”
Once the decision has been made to harvest, there are several factors to consider when it comes to storage.
For silage piles and bunkers, the silage should be spread in 4 in. thick layers in a wedge configuration at a speed of 1.5-2.5 mph., according to Amaral-Phillips. Make sure to not turn around on the silage surface as this can loosen the packing density. Packing is complete when the surface is covered with tire tracks and is smooth.
For silage bags, make sure that the bagger is working properly and that there are no holes or tears in the plastic. If possible, try to set the bags on a concrete or asphalt surface to minimize mud at feedout, Amaral-Phillips recommends. Mud decreases feed quality and increases possibility of unwelcome bacterial contamination of feed.
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