The Rural Voice, 2001-09, Page 58Use extreme caution
harvesting drought -
stressed corn sileage
By AgriLink, Ridgetown
The Drought of 2001 has persisted
well into August with rainfall
sporadic and amounts variable and in
most cases "too little -too late" for
corn growers. Some corn growers
who are also cattle feeders are
considering their feed options
including taking off these fields as
early corn silage. The Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
crop specialists have prepared the
following information for corn
growers to consider before they head
to the fields with the forage
harvester.
In sorfie cases, growers are
making the decision that some feed
value can be captured from moisture -
stressed corn by taking it for silage
when faced with little hope of any
appreciable grain yield. Inspect fields
to evaluate yield potential. Contact
Agricorp at 1-888-247-4999 to
determine how using this corn will
impact a crop insurance claim. Check
herbicide labels to ensure adequate
days to harvest.
Ensiling at the correct whole plant
moisture is critical. Harvesting at
moistures that are too low will result
in poor packing, inadequate air
exclusion, poor fermentation and
greater spoilage. Harvesting at
moisture levels above 70 per cent
will result in a very undesirable
fermentation with high levels of foul
smelling butyric acid, with poor feed
quality and palatability.
Recommended moisture contents
for corn silage are as follows:
• Horizontal bunker silos 65 - 70%
• Bagsilos60-70%
• Upright concrete stave silos 62 -
67%.
It is very difficult to accurately
estimate the moisture of earless corn
silage without measuring it. Leaves
may look dry, but the stalk will
contain more moisture. If you are in
doubt about the whole -plant
moisture, chop a sample using a
harvester, yard chipper, or bedding
L5chopper. Use a Koster Tester,
microwave or laboratory to
4 THE RURAL VOICE
Advice
determine per cent dry matter.
Sample at least 10 plants from the
field, avoiding the headlands. Watch
for moisture variability within fields.
The University Q Maryland has
developed a "grab test" to roughly
estimate moistures if more accurate
measures are not available. Tightly
squeeze a handful of finely cut
material in your hand for 90 seconds.
Release the grip and note the
condition of the ball:
• Juice runs freely or shows between
the fingers — 75 to 85% moisture
• Ball holds its shape and the hand is
moist — 70 to 75%
• Ball expands slowly and no
dampness appears on the hand - 60 to
70%
• Ball springs out in the opening hand
- less than 60%
Be aware of the potential for
nitrate poisoning. Nitrates
accumulate in the corn plants when
there is a large amount of soil
nitrates, and a lack of moisture
interferes with normal plant growth.
Nitrate accumulation may be greater
with delayed fertilizer application
and nitrate fertilizers rather than urea.
The bottom third of the stalk
contains a much higher level of
nitrates. If nitrates are a concern, the
cutter bar could be raised to leave
more of the stalk in the field, but this
will also further reduce yields.
Nitrates can be reduced from 25 to
65 per cent during a proper silage
fermentation. Allow at least three
weeks of fermentation before
feeding. Corn silage that is harvested
too wet or too dry will not ferment
properly and dissipate the nitrates.
The addition of Non Protein Nitrogen
(NPN), such as urea or anhydrous
ammonia, to drought damaged corn
silage is not recommended.
Green chopping or grazing corn
silage stressed from drought -like
conditions should be avoided due to
the potential of high nitrate levels
and poisoning. Green chop that is not
fed immediately undergoes resp-
iration that converts nitrate to nitrite,
so is very high risk.0
Swine farm
employment seminar
features U.S. expert
Dr. Bernard Erven from Ohio
State University will be the keynote
speaker at an upcoming seminar for
swine producers on labour and
workforce issues. Dr. Erven, an
expert on agricultural labour issues
and a professor in the Department of
Agricultural, Environmetal and
Development Economics. will give
presentations on the value of
employees on swine farms and
building a Jeputation as a good
employer.
In addition to Dr. Erven, the
daylong seminar will feature
presentations from local experts
about interviewing. hiring. training
and compensation of swine
production employees. The program
will be held .September 12, at the
Shakespeare Community Centre,
from 9:45 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Advance registration cost for the
seminar is $50, which includes the
full day's program and lunch.
Additional people from the same
farm can be registered for $40 each.
Registrations must be received by
Sept. 10. Make cheques payable to
"Shakespeare Event -Ontario Pork."0
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