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.
View Reports
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
Weekly Corn Silage Dry Down Data for Wisconsin Farmers
Each week our team of Regional Crops Educators will provide updates on the status of the silage corn crop and harvest. Check back each Friday to see what is happening across the state.
Aug. 31 Weekly 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.