In most areas of the country, corn silage makes up a large percentage of a dairy cow’s diet. Producing high-quality corn silage is a process that involves several important steps. It starts with planting the right varieties that combine yield potential with ideal traits related to nutrient concentrations and digestibility.

It’s common for dairy producers to experience a “fall slump,” or a time when cows fail to reach their full production potential. Producers also might notice decreased feed intake or loose manure.

When following a recipe, it's often necessary to grab the correct ingredients at the store in order to get the optimal desired outcome. Similar to whipping up a cake or mixing your favorite dry rub, creating a dairy ration requires specific ingredients.

Corn silage harvest is complete for another year. As is often the case, silage inventory from last year’s harvest is running really low, and you are likely anxious to open a recently filled storage structure to start feeding it to your lactating cows.

Machinery, heat stress, and silage storage and handling considerations for a safe silage season.

Maximizing your silage space can allow producers to – quite literally – pack more tons of valuable feed into the same space. With a little advance planning, the result can be thousands of dollars more in feed without any additional real estate.

To counter escalating input costs, Herrington Farms Inc. focuses on three things: wringing every possible ounce of milk from their dairy herd, cost-conscious management decisions and diversifying their income stream. 

Ensiling or fermenting fresh forage is an effective way to preserve nutrients, allowing us to feed animals year-round. However, the value and quality of silage is dependent on how well it was preserved.