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Consideration for Ensiling Immature Corn

Harvesting and storing corn as a high moisture feed ingredient (either as high grain corn or high moisture cob corn meal) for livestock has been demonstrated for many years to be an effective way to feed corn to livestock, not only from a production but often from a feed cost standpoint.

The generally recommended ideal moisture levels to harvest and storing high moisture grain corn is 25% to 30% moisture, with 22% to 35% being not ideal, but tolerable. For high moisture cob meal the ideal moisture levels are 27% to 35%, with 25% to 40% moisture considered tolerable.

However, this year because much of the Ontario corn crop did not reach the desired physiological maturity, we have corn with 35% plus moisture levels. So the question is can we ensile and store corn at these higher than recommended moisture levels?

Ensiling corn at moisture levels higher than recommended can work, in fact because of its relatively high moisture levels in addition to potentially higher percentages of fermentable sugars, the fermentation can be greater and more rapid than for corn harvested and ensiled at the drier end of the spectrum. Because the fermentation happens more quickly, the acids are produced sooner, dropping the pH of the corn, essentially curtailing the development of potentially harmful molds. The addition of an effective innoculant to corn with these moisture levels can be added insurance and give some peace of mind, however the use of these products may be more important for years that the corn is bordering on being too dry when ensiled.

The logistics of working with corn that is abnormally high in moisture can create the challenges. Harvesting and handling corn at high moisture will result in more damage to the kernels, often resulting in more fines. A producer who normally stores the corn as whole kernel high moisture grain corn in a bottom unloading silo, might anticipate flowability challenges with potential bridging throughout the feeding period, because a combination a softer textured kernel and more fines or broken kernels. For these situations it may be beneficial to run the corn over a cleaner prior to ensiling. For top unloading silos or bunkers this is not an issue.

As for feeding this immature or higher than normal moisture corn, research suggests that once corn is over 30% moisture we can expect dry matter intakes to be lower for ruminants. However, it has been shown that this corn can be more digestible and capable of supporting good animal performance. As a feed ingredient for pigs, the OMAFRA factsheet, titled "Summary of Research on Feeding Low Test Weight Corn To Pigs" is a comprehensive document that highlights research results and recommendations for feeding immature corn. One additional recommendation prior to ensiling this year's grain corn, is to check for potentially harmful mycotoxins.