Answering Your Questions: Using High-Moisture Corn
Byron Leu, Iowa State University Extension beef program specialist, took on the task of answering a producer’s recent questions on using high-moisture corn over the traditional dry corn system. The producer questions are accompanied with his answers below:
What is the recommended moisture level to harvest high-moisture corn and store it in a bunker silo? How should the high-moisture corn be processed before storage?
If done correctly, a high-moisture corn “system” can provide a number of advantages to a cattle feeding operation. The advantages typically highlighted include reduced field loss, earlier harvest potential, and the elimination of drying costs. From the disadvantage side, marketing opportunities are more limited as compared to a traditional dry corn system.
Management of the high-moisture corn is the key to success. Some key points include:
- Most references suggest that corn grain that is stored in a bunker silo should be harvested and stored at 25-33 % moisture. Below 25 % moisture, the potential for grain storage losses may increase.
- The high-moisture corn grain should be processed with a roller mill or coarsely ground. In an ideal world, it would be recommended that the kernels would be broken into 3-4 pieces. This process will improve the packing process as well as increase the rate of digestibility of the grain in the feeding program. Any process that breaks the kernel without finely grinding the grain is acceptable.
- The processed grain needs to be packed tightly to exclude as much air as possible as the bunker is filled. It is also highly recommended that the bunker is covered with plastic and tires to minimize storage loss.