SP434D Corn Silage

Corn silage is a high-quality forage crop that is used on many dairy farms and on some beef cattle farms in Tennessee. Its popularity is due to the high yield of a very digestible, high-energy crop, and the ease of adapting it to mechanized harvesting and feeding. Corn for silage fits ideally into no-till and double-cropping programs.

The object of silage making is to preserve the harvested crop by anaerobic (without oxygen) fermentation. This process uses bacteria to convert soluble carbohydrates into acetic and lactic acid, which "pickles" the crop. In a well-sealed silo, it can be stored for long periods of time without losing quality. To produce high-quality corn silage, it is important to do a good job in growing, harvesting and preserving the crop.