Hybrid performance may vary considerably among fields and farms, but relative yields among hybrids are fairly consistent from year to year. As a result, yield monitors have proven to be an economic investment for the purpose of on-farm hybrid testing.
Corn Silage Hybrid Trials
Please note the following points when using the corn silage hybrid results. The hybrids are listed in order of their comparative milk yields. Both milk yield and milk per ton were calculated from the Milk2006 software program from the University of Wisconsin. Milk per ton, which indicates the quality characteristics of the hybrid, is calculated from dry matter intake and energy content estimates. We estimate dry matter intake by using neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 30-hour NDF digestibility laboratory determinations. Milk2006 estimates energy content from the quality characteristics using information from the National Research Council (NRC) 2001 Nutrient Requirements for Dairy Cattle.
All ratings are based on two tests with four replications each for a minimum of eight comparisons for each hybrid against other hybrids in the same table. The test locations are in the Finger Lakes Region and western New York for 95- to 115-day hybrids and in Jefferson and Clinton Counties for the 75- to 100-day hybrids. All hybrids are harvested around 35 percent dry matter (+ 3%) to ensure that each hybrid is at optimal quality at harvest. We take a 700 gram sample at harvest to estimate dry matter percent and to determine quality characteristics (in vitro true digestibility, NDF, NDF digestibility, crude protein, ash, and starch concentrations).
News Letter Articles
Recommended Corn Silage Hybrids for New York - December 2011 PDF
Recommended Corn Silage Hybrids for New York - December 2010 PDF
Recommended Corn Silage Hybrids for New York - December 2009 PDF
Field-Scale Studies Evaluating Agronomics & Economics of Selecting Double & Triple-Stacked Hybrids - October 2009 PDF
Field-Scale Studies Comparing the Base Genetics of Corn Hybrids with Double and Triple-Stacked Hybrids - June 2009 PDF
Recommended Corn Silage Hybrids for New York - December 2008 PDF
Recommended Corn Silage Hybrids for New York - December 2007 PDF
Recommended Corn Silage Hybrids for New York - December 2006 PDF
Recommended Corn Silage Hybrids for New York - December 2005 PDF