The optimum crop to plant in an emergency forage situation should be determined by 1) when and how it will be utilized, 2) the forage quality needed, and 3) seed availability and cost.

Accurately determining corn whole plant moisture is important when harvesting for corn silage. Harvesting corn for silage too early (high moisture content) or too late (low moisture content) can affect forage yield, quality and silage fermentation.

Understanding the relationship between corn grain and forage yield is important to dairymen and grain farmers who often contract with each other for corn silage production.

Unprecedented rainfall continues to cause flooding and ponding leading to problems for corn establishment on 5 to 10% of planted acres in southern Wisconsin. Flooded and ponded areas have existed long enough now so that plants have been killed and areas need to be replanted.

Farmers trying to decide about using drought affected corn fields must first determine success of pollination. If pollination will affect grain yield, then growers must follow directions given by hail adjusters to ensure insurance payment. If the decision is made to harvest the field for silage, then it must be cut at the proper moisture; the crop is usually wetter than it appears.

An improved understanding of the effects of defoliation on forage yield and quality would improve the ability of agronomists, farmers, and crop insurance adjusters to assess the economic impact of hail damage to corn harvested for forage.