PUBLICATION W1039
Harvesting Corn Silage: Importance of Moisture and Some Tools You Can Use
If you have questions about this resource, contact your county Extension office.
Summary
Corn silage quality depends on harvesting at the right moisture (about 35% whole‑plant dry matter). Cutting too wet can reduce starch and cause poor fermentation and runoff; too dry can hurt digestibility, make packing harder, and raise mold/mycotoxin risk. The guide explains signs like kernel dent and milk line, and offers tools to track dry matter, including growing degree days, field sampling with a chipper‑shredder, and testing methods (Koster, microwave, NIR, or lab).
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