High population corn silage

An extension study was done on a high quality, low cost forage. The forage, corn silage, is fairly common in the area, but the high population bin run corn planting rate and harvest method was different. The cost saving is in the price of seed.

Planting high population bin run corn from last year’s harvest versus hybrid seed saved about $22 per acre per planting. The costs last year of corn grain, hybrid corn seed and sorghum grass were calculated on $1.80 per bushel corn, $80 per bag of hybrid corn and $12.50 per bag of sorghum sudan grass.

The bin run corn was planted at 180,000 plants per acre. The normal recommendation for corn silage is 26,000 plants per acre. The plants are harvested at about 3 ½ to four feet. The plants had a high level of moisture, so they had to be cut and dried to reduce moisture to 65% before chopping for silage. Nutritional quality showed that the protein was 16% and energy was .65 NeL that is slightly below average for diary quality forage. Cattle could also graze the plants if they

were four feet high.

If two plantings of the bin run corn were done and harvested then there still would be an economic advantage. If three plantings were done, then a single planting and regrowth of sorghum sudan might be an economic advantage.

If you have any questions about the trial, please contact Glenn Brown at the DeKalb County Extension Center at 816-449-2101.