Corn Silage Trials Available

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

The 2014 Corn Silage Trials are available online. Twenty-two hybrids were submitted for testing and those hybrids were planted in Boyle County, Casey County and Mason County. University of Kentucky personnel harvested, chopped, weighed,  packaged corn forage samples, analyzed the data and generated the report. Corn forage analysis was conducted by Dairy One.

The first table in the test is the data averaged across all three locations. This is the best data to use for selecting hybrids next season. A combination of corn tonnage and forage quality should be considered when selecting hybrids. Compare the results from this report with other relevant, unbiased silage trials to learn more about hybrid performance. Since half the total forage weight generally comes from the ear, grain trials can also be viewed to gain a better idea about tonnage. Grain trials will not help with forage quality values. County Extension Agents and producers were essential to conducting this test. If you have questions about the test or hybrids, contact your county extension office.

Harvesting very green corn for silage this season

Chad Lee and Carrie Knott, Extension Agronomists, University of Kentucky
Donna Amaral-Phillips, Extension Dairy Nutritionist, University of Kentucky

Farmers are chopping silage at the normal time on the calendar and commenting on the very green corn in the fields. Silage corn was planted late this spring and that delays corn development. The summer was cooler and cloudier than normal, which also delays corn development. Finally, there is a lot of biomass in the corn this year, so drydown may take a little longer. Corn chopping may need to be delayed several weeks this season to get corn to the proper moisture.