March 1, 2017
It is well known that reducing the size of corn kernels in whole plant corn silage makes it more digestible for the cows and enhances milk production...


Feb. 27, 2017
Corn silage is the predominant forage fed to dairy cows in the United States. This is related to its unique characteristic of providing both high energy and physically effective fiber...


Jan. 26, 2017
Long-term corn hybrid selection programs for grain yield potential have contributed to the tremendous progress in that trait observed by corn farmers...


Nov. 9, 2016
Today’s corn silage hybrids offer high yield potential but can vary substantially in nutritional quality depending on genetics and the growing environment...


Nov. 9, 2016
Fermentation is a biochemical reaction accomplished by bacteria as they consume the plant sugars and oxygen. They then convert those nutrients into acids, and once an anaerobic environment has been achieved...


Nov. 6, 2016
Silage production is a competition. While the crop stands, its native microorganisms, or epiphytes, live in a low-growth, maintenance-only state of starvation...


Nov. 2, 2016
There are different paths to optimal forage quality and animal performance for hay and haylage crops versus corn silage. With hay and haylage crops, cutting the crop at the correct plant maturity is a major decision that will substantially influence resulting quality...


Sept. 6, 2016
Labor Day is in the rearview mirror. It’s no longer possible to change the hybrid, plant density, pest management, fertilizer strategies, or the summer weather...


Aug. 23, 2016
The death of a Wisconsin dairy farmer this past week is a grim reminder that farms provide for a dangerous work environment. Sometimes one with unsuspecting hazards.The young dairy farmer was ov...


Aug. 16, 2016
Through the years, farmers have devised any number of methods to estimate the moisture of cut forage in an attempt to hit the optimum harvest mark...