How to Optimize Corn Silage Quality in Florida

Silage accounts for 30 to 40% of the diet of dairy cattle in over 90% of the dairies in the Southeast. Corn silage is the main silage fed to dairy cattle in Florida and it plays a vital role in supplying digestible fiber and energy to dairy cows. The fiber supply from corn silage is also necessary for stimulating salivation and buffering microbial acid production in the rumen, thereby minimizing the risk of acidosis and a displaced abomasum. Ingestion or inhalation of mycotoxins from bad silages pose health risks for producers and can severely limit feed intake and milk production in cows. Therefore, optimization of silage quality is crucial for ensuring the viability and profitability of dairies. This paper will describe the characteristics of good quality corn silage, discuss management practices necessary for optimizing silage quality and highlight the unique challenges faced by silage producers in the southeast that necessitate adoption of excellent silage management practices.