Multiple actions growers can take to reduce risks to forage quality and livestock health.
Tricky establishment and growing conditions are challenging corn yields and quality across Europe, but it is not too late for growers to capture the best possible feed quality to protect livestock production.
Many countries are reporting weather-stressed corn and the potential for elevated toxin and sugar levels. Lisa Gambetta, Technical Sales Representative for Lallemand Animal Nutrition, is based in Italy and says one of the principal challenges for the northern part of the country is the lack of in-field uniformity in crops, resulting from very wet conditions following establishment and a lack of summer rainfall.
“In a single field there can be many different stages of plant maturity,’’ she says. This has made decisions around when to harvest the crop difficult because if homogeneity is poor, it affects fermentation in clamps, bunkers, and silos and, consequently, nutritive value at feeding out.
Wet conditions post-establishment also prevented the application of fungicides and pest controls, allowing insects such as diabrotica (type of beetle) to proliferate, affecting crop development. Lisa says farmers are justifiably concerned about the potential for moulds and mycotoxins once the crop is conserved.
“All these points combined amount to a big problem because in the bunker you will have a lack of uniformity and homogeneity, which means that every day the cow will be eating something different,’’ says Lisa.
While these issues are incredibly challenging for growers, there are multiple actions they can take to reduce risks to forage quality and livestock health, beginning in the field.
Silage inoculants, a blend of beneficial lactic acid bacteria, can solve many of the dilemmas that are being widely seen on farms this summer because they control fermentation by rapidly lowering pH and providing aerobic stability.
“We have a lot of factors coming together this year – bad weather and lack of homogeneity in crops – and while we cannot modify the state of this corn, we can control fermentation,’’ says Lisa. “If a farmer can control pH and stabilisation, there is no space for yeast and mould to grow.’’
There have been numerous studies that have shown how inoculants protect forage dry matter and quality. “You cannot change the physiology of the crop, but you can protect what you have to maximise its potential,’’ says Lisa. It is important to target the inoculant to the needs of the crop, she adds, which can be informed by analysing corn quality pre-harvesting. Decisions can then be made to use a homolactic, heterolactic or enzyme inoculant.
The cutting height of corn will be more important than ever this year too. While it is tempting for farmers to cut low, to maximise what they have in the field and to make up for shortfalls in yield, this comes with a substantial risk of soil contamination.
“I suggest maintaining a high-level cut to maintain the high-level quality inside the bunker. Chop length is an important consideration. The ratio between length and dry matter should always be considered: ideally, the drier the forage, the shorter it should be cut to preserve proper compaction.” Lisa recommends seeking advice from an agronomist for guidance on matching the chop length to the crop.
And finally, correctly cracking the corn kernels is crucial. “The corn cracker is really important because if you are spending a lot of money and are producing good corn, but the grain is not broken properly, it will go straight through the animal and wasted.”
