Research shows that bacterial silage inoculants do more than preserve forage nutrients in the silo. Understanding the important benefits inoculants can provide prompted DuPont Pioneer researchers to fully explore the science that supports their value in the ration.

Producers who feed corn silage to their dairy cows or custom chop for customers understand the significance of good silage processing. As planning begins for this fall’s corn silage harvest, it’s a good time to ensure your operation is prepared for proper chop length and kernel processing of corn silage.

Q. Why is this a top resource article? "I believe the reason for continual reference to the corn silage article is because every year corn silage growers and cattle/dairy producers need to review corn silage production goals with their respective teams. These teams include people harvesting the crop in the field, people filling the silos and finally people involved in feedout management and working to balance around transition from old to new crop corn silage. Once everyone on the team is aware of what is expected with the corn silage crop, then those beef and dairy end users have a better chance of feeding the highest quality silage to their cattle. As has been my goal with writing my articles for farm publications, I've always tried producing a list of basic action points for discussion along with providing recommended goals.” —Bill Seglar Inclusion of corn silage into dairy rations is more complex than other feed ingredients because corn silage is really two feedstuffs: high-moisture corn grain and grass silage. As a result, the nutritional value of corn silage can vary based on crop growing conditions, harvest moisture and the type of fermentation that occurred in the silo.

Molds damage silage quality, and in severe cases they lead to the development of dangerous mycotoxins that can make silage unfit for livestock consumption.