When a short, wet 2019 wheat harvest left dairies struggling with expensive and moldy straw, one farm decided there had to be a better way to feed dry cows than their Goldilocks diet. That challenge sparked an idea that would ultimately set the operation apart by separating corn silage into fodder and fines.

Packing density can make or break corn silage quality, yet many southern Idaho operations still struggle to hit the minimum standard.

Planning ahead is the key to accurate forage inventories and minimizing costly waste. Universities offer checklists and calculators to guide dairy and cattle producers, while extension specialists and feed company representatives provide practical advice on storage, sampling and shrink calculations.

To mitigate bunker silo hazards, it is crucial to ensure safety protocols are in place when filling, covering and removing silage, as well as when handling gases and performing other tasks around the bunker silo.

We’ve all seen it. Top-layer spoilage – a rind of discolored, decomposing feed often laden with yeasts, molds and mycotoxins on the top of your silage bunker or pile.

Producers who utilize HMC have a substantial economic investment in their pile or silo full of corn and, ideally, they’d like to get a return on that investment. There are several important factors to consider when preserving HMC.

There are three areas where consistency is necessary to optimize feed management: inventory, mixing of the total mixed ration (TMR) and the feedbunk.