Harvesting corn for silage at the correct whole-plant moisture (60-70%, depending on storage system) is the first step to making high-quality silage. Farmers have one opportunity to harvest corn silage at the correct time each season, so it’s necessary to monitor corn silage acres to optimize harvest timing to meet these goals.
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UW-Madison Extension, in partnership with forage councils and agribusinesses across Wisconsin, continues to offer corn silage dry down events to help growers target the optimum whole plant moisture for harvest in their region of the state. In addition, educators are tracking metrics such as hybrid, relative maturity, fungicide and cover crop use and grain stage to inform future management recommendations that allow growers to optimize forage quality.
Our dry down monitoring tool provides a quick look at current whole plant moisture data from across the state and provides the opportunity for growers to focus on the data relevant to their farm to make harvest decisions.
Interested in getting involved? Reach out to your local Regional Crops Educator for more information. Check out our corn silage resources for more tips for managing your silage harvest.
Corn Silage Management Resources
Sept. 20 Corn Silage Dry Down Reports
Northcentral: Corn silage harvest is slowing down in this region of the state.
Northwest: No report this week.
Northeast: Most corn is ready to go or past, but there are a few later planted fields still on the moister side. Things dried down faster than normal around this region from about Sept. 13–20, losing about 5–7 points instead of our normal 3–4 per week, so some farms ended up on the dry side.
Eastcentral: The most recent dry-down data from this part of the state showed that whole plant moisture is averaging at 68% and ranging from 63%-72%.
Southcentral: No report this week.
Southwest: No report this week.
Southeast: No report this week.
Sept. 14 Corn Silage Dry Down Reports
Northcentral: Most recent whole-plant moisture is averaging 62%. Local co-op agronomists are noting that plants are staying green and drying down faster than they may look. They also report seeing some anthracnose, but there is only minor disease pressure.
Northwest: No report this week.
Northeast: No report this week.
Eastcentral: No report this week.
Southcentral: No report this week.
Southwest: Recent rain has slowed down harvest progress this week for this region.
Southeast: No report this week.
Sept. 7 Corn Silage Dry Down Reports
Northcentral: Corn silage harvest is very active in this region. Average whole plant moisture is at 64% and ranges from 50%-70% across Clark, Marathon, and Taylor counties.
Northwest: No report this week.
Northeast: Choppers have been busier in some parts of this region than some southern regions of the state. In Kewaunee and Door counties, whole plant moisture is averaging at 71.9% and ranging from 63%-76%.his region is averaging 68.85% and ranging from 62.5%-77.8%.
Eastcentral: Multiple dry down events were held across the region this week. Average whole plant moisture across the Outagamie region is 66% and moisture ranges from 55%-77%. Tar spot and northern corn leaf blight are present in some areas of this region. Whole plant moisture across Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Brown, and Ozaukee counties is averaging at 66% and ranges from 57%-77%. Whole plant moisture in Fond du Lac County is averaging at 67% and ranges from 61%-74%.
Southcentral: Silage harvest is moving along in this region of the state. Fields on lighter ground have dried down quickly. Recent rains in this region may have kept choppers out of the field for a day or two.
Southwest: Silage harvest continues in this area of the state. Some parts of this region saw more rain than others this past week which might have only briefly slowed harvest in some areas.
Southeast: No report this week.
Aug. 31 Corn Silage Dry Down Reports
Northcentral: Dry weather conditions have started harvest for some fields in this region. Recent whole plant moisture is averaging 63.5% and ranging from 56%-70%.
Northwest: Several fields have already been harvested due to dry weather. Moisture ranged from the upper 50s to the 70s. Areas of irrigated fields where water did not reach were harvested separately from the irrigated areas, which remain much greener. Harvest in fields where there are heavier soils has not started yet. Silage is being harvested in Trempealeau County as well.
Northeast: Whole plant moisture in this region is averaging 68.85% and ranging from 62.5%-77.8%.
Eastcentral: Whole plant moisture in this region is averaging at 69.85% and ranging from 57.55%-79.97%.
Southcentral: No report this week.
Southwest: Harvest is in full swing for a few farms in this region, while other farms are just starting to open up fields. Harvest activity will likely accelerate fairly quickly over the next week or so.
Southeast: No report this week.