Harvest & Storage

Value of processing and starch content
In the current economy, it’s even more essential to get all of the nutrient value out of harvested corn silage.

The height and frequency that you harvest grass can affect yield, quality and the longevity of your grass hayfields and pastures.

First off, a quick review of the basics. Then I’ll answer some of the questions I hear regularly concerning forage testing and the results.

Many growers today are looking for ways to maximize corn yields and on-farm profitability, whether that means increasing milk production, reducing ration costs or boosting weight gain in beef cattle.

Agronomists note that a rough estimate of the proper silage harvest period is somewhere between 35 and 45 days after tassel emergence. In some areas tasseling began close to July 11 on the earliest-planted corn.

The length of cut of forages, whether it is haylage, corn silage or another forage crop, has an impact on the final forage quality in several ways.