5242 Curtis Rd, Warsaw NY 14569 (585) 786-5831 Fax: (585) 786-5289
November 22, 2017
CORN SILAGE YIELD AND DIGESTIBILITY TRIAL
In the eighteenth year of our trial, we evaluated thirty-four seed varieties from eight seed companies on four Western New York farms. The host farms were Hi-Land Farms, LLC (Wyoming, long season varieties), True Farm (Perry, long season varieties), Breezyhill Dairy, LLC (Strykersville, short and mid season varieties), and Post Dairy Farms LLC (Oakfield, short and mid season varieties)
All of our test plot results for this and previous years are available in greater detail at our interactive test plot website which allows you to easily sort, filter, and graph the results of our variety test plots. It is available at
Two plots were located on each farm, one in well-drained soil and the other in marginally drained soil. The cooperator farm planted the corn; we harvested the crop. Two 17 foot 4 inch areas located at 60-foot intervals from each other were hand harvested and weighed for each variety. A subset of three plants from each harvested section (for a total of 6) was gathered and chopped using a chipper shredder. All samples were then vacuum packed and sent to Cumberland Valley Analytical Lab for 30-hour in-vitro analysis.
Tables A-C compare plant yield, dry matter, composition, fiber digestibility and the combined effect of these factors on milk production using the Milk 2006 index developed by the University of Wisconsin. NDF and starch are expressed as a percentage of total dry matter while NDF digestibility (DNDF) is listed as a percentage of total plant fiber. The varieties are sorted by day length.
Tables A-C: Average Yield, Digestible NDF (DNDF), and Starch
Table A: Short Season (86-94 day)
Company / Variety / Day Length / %DM / Yield
30% DM / Starch
% DM / NDF
% DM / DNDF
% / Milk Per Ton Index / Milk Per Acre Index
Dekalb / DKC 36-28 RIB / 86 / 40.2 / 25 / 42.6 / 36.7 / 53.52 / 3101 / 23071
Hubner / H4046RC2P / 88 / 41.3 / 23.8 / 41.8 / 38.8 / 58.42 / 3080 / 21784
Masters Choice / MCT3891 / 88 / 43.3 / 26.3 / 40.5 / 41.1 / 55.35 / 2877 / 22618
Syngenta / NK8920-3010 / 89 / 41 / 26.4 / 38.4 / 42.4 / 53.62 / 2916 / 23104
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 2918AM / 89 / 44.3 / 25 / 41.7 / 38 / 52.8 / 2901 / 21719
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 40R27SS / 90 / 37.8 / 26.2 / 39.4 / 41 / 54.75 / 3131 / 24516
Syngenta / NK9227-3110A / 92 / 39.3 / 27.7 / 36.9 / 42.2 / 53.01 / 2991 / 24770
Hubner / H6157RCSS / 94 / 33.1 / 27.3 / 34.1 / 42.4 / 58.73 / 3403 / 27834
Mycogen Seeds / TMF94L37 / 94 / 37 / 27.6 / 32.2 / 45.9 / 53.93 / 3012 / 24836
Table B: Mid Season (95-99 day)
Company / Variety / Day Length / %DM / Yield
30% DM / Starch
% DM / NDF
% DM / DNDF
% / Milk Per Ton Index / Milk Per Acre Index
Syngenta / NK9535-3110 / 95 / 40.3 / 28.6 / 36 / 43.1 / 51 / 2915 / 24742
Masters Choice / MCT4572 / 95 / 37.2 / 27.5 / 36.8 / 42.3 / 54.6 / 3117 / 25540
Dekalb / DKC 45-07 RIB / 95 / 34.4 / 24 / 35.7 / 42.5 / 58.04 / 3311 / 23801
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 46R77SS / 96 / 36.8 / 28 / 37.4 / 41.5 / 54.99 / 3165 / 26623
Hubner / H6124RCSS / 96 / 35.3 / 28.6 / 35.7 / 42.6 / 57.5 / 3243 / 27768
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 3618AMXT / 96 / 34.8 / 27.7 / 35.7 / 41.9 / 57.58 / 3292 / 27285
Mycogen Seeds / BMR97B37 RA / 97 / 28.2 / 24.5 / 28.8 / 45.1 / 65.09 / 3472 / 25597
Dyna-Gro / D39DC43RIB / 99 / 33.5 / 29.3 / 35 / 43.9 / 57.3 / 3288 / 28819
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 49R79SS / 99 / 31.1 / 27.8 / 34.2 / 42 / 55.5 / 3400 / 28431
Hubner / H6191RCSS / 99 / 32.5 / 27.3 / 34.6 / 43.9 / 54.66 / 3282 / 26818
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / 3916GRQ / 99 / 34.1 / 28.5 / 35.2 / 42 / 57.8 / 3359 / 28671
Mycogen Seeds / F2F499 / 99 / 29.9 / 25.3 / 34.3 / 40.2 / 67.29 / 3674 / 27857
Masters Choice / MCT4935 / 99 / 35 / 29.2 / 34.7 / 41.8 / 55.83 / 3232 / 28223
Dekalb / DKC 49-72 RIB / 99 / 34.1 / 30 / 37.3 / 40.1 / 55.14 / 3350 / 30099
Table C: Long Season (101-109 day)
Company / Variety / Day Length / %DM / Yield
30% DM / Starch
% DM / NDF
% DM / DNDF
% / Milk Per Ton Index / Milk Per Acre Index
Hubner / H5222RC3P / 101 / 39.3 / 33.3 / 37.9 / 40.5 / 53.16 / 2943 / 29365
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 4115AMXT / 101 / 38.1 / 32.2 / 37.7 / 40.1 / 55.46 / 3077 / 29541
Hubner / H6225RCSS / 102 / 38.1 / 32.6 / 37.9 / 40.4 / 53.64 / 3073 / 30107
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 53R41SS / 103 / 39.1 / 29.9 / 38.6 / 38.9 / 53.7 / 3046 / 27260
Mycogen Seeds / TMF03Q57 RA / 103 / 36.2 / 34.3 / 37 / 39.8 / 51.01 / 3137 / 32250
Masters Choice / MCT5371 / 103 / 40.2 / 35.1 / 37.5 / 38.9 / 55.02 / 3024 / 31791
Hubner / H6257RCSS / 104 / 38.4 / 30.7 / 40 / 36.6 / 52.5 / 3152 / 28995
Masters Choice / MCT5661 / 106 / 36.3 / 31.8 / 37.1 / 39.9 / 54.21 / 3166 / 30102
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 4717AMX / 107 / 36.2 / 31.5 / 38.2 / 38.7 / 54.19 / 3233 / 30378
Dekalb / DKC 57-75 RIB / 107 / 37.4 / 31.4 / 37.6 / 38 / 55.13 / 3175 / 29895
Dyna-Gro / D49VC39RIB / 109 / 35.7 / 35.1 / 36.1 / 38.8 / 52.01 / 3229 / 34159
Tables D-F compare the average yields for each variety on well-drained soils and marginally drained soils.
Tables D-F: Average Yield in Well Drained and Marginally Drained Soils
Table D: Short Season
Company / Variety / Well Drained / Marginally Drained / Difference in Yield(WD-MD)
Dekalb / DKC 36-28 RIB / 25.4 / 24.6 / 0.8
Hubner / H4046RC2P / 23.4 / 24.2 / -0.8
Masters Choice / MCT3891 / 26.2 / 26.3 / -0.1
Syngenta / NK8920-3010 / 26.1 / 26.6 / -0.5
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 2918AM / 25.1 / 25 / 0.1
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 40R27SS / 25.8 / 26.5 / -0.7
Syngenta / NK9227-3110A / 29.5 / 26 / 3.5
Hubner / H6157RCSS / 27.1 / 27.5 / -0.4
Mycogen Seeds / TMF94L37 / 25.9 / 29.3 / -3.4
Table E: Mid Season
Company / Variety / Well Drained / Marginally Drained / Difference in Yield(WD-MD)
Syngenta / NK9535-3110 / 28.2 / 29 / -0.8
Masters Choice / MCT4572 / 27.2 / 27.7 / -0.5
Dekalb / DKC 45-07 RIB / 20.4 / 27.5 / -7.1
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 46R77SS / 26.3 / 29.7 / -3.4
Hubner / H6124RCSS / 26.9 / 30.2 / -3.3
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 3618AMXT / 26.8 / 28.6 / -1.8
Mycogen Seeds / BMR97B37 RA / 23.1 / 26 / -2.9
Dyna-Gro / D39DC43RIB / 29.4 / 29.2 / 0.2
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 49R79SS / 27.9 / 27.8 / 0.1
Hubner / H6191RCSS / 27.5 / 27 / 0.5
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / 3916GRQ / 28.8 / 28.1 / 0.7
Mycogen Seeds / F2F499 / 24.9 / 25.7 / -0.8
Masters Choice / MCT4935 / 28.7 / 29.6 / -0.9
Dekalb / DKC 49-72 RIB / 29.3 / 30.7 / -1.4
Table F: Long Season
Company / Variety / Well Drained / Marginally Drained / Difference in Yield(WD-MD)
Hubner / H5222RC3P / 33.1 / 33.5 / -0.4
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 4115AMXT / 32.5 / 31.8 / 0.7
Hubner / H6225RCSS / 33.8 / 31.5 / 2.3
GrowmarkFS-InVISION / FS 53R41SS / 30.8 / 29 / 1.8
Mycogen Seeds / TMF03Q57 RA / 34.6 / 34 / 0.6
Masters Choice / MCT5371 / 36.2 / 34.1 / 2.1
Hubner / H6257RCSS / 33 / 28.3 / 4.7
Masters Choice / MCT5661 / 34.3 / 29.4 / 4.9
Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc. / RPM 4717AMX / 33 / 29.9 / 3.1
Dekalb / DKC 57-75 RIB / 34.1 / 28.7 / 5.4
Dyna-Gro / D49VC39RIB / 37.4 / 32.8 / 4.6
Before deciding on a variety, take time to look at other silage trials. We also recommend reviewing your variety selection criteria with your nutritionist and crop consultant before making your final choices.
We would like to thank Dekalb, Doebler's PA Hybrids, Inc., Dyna-Gro, GrowmarkFS-InVISION, Hubner, Masters Choice, Mycogen Seeds, and Syngenta for their participation and financial support in the trial. A special thank you also to our cooperators: Greg and Ben Chamberlain; Brian, Brad, and Jeffrey True; Brad and Roger Almeter; and Dan and John Post for their time planting the plots and the use of their land.
5242 Curtis Road, Warsaw, NY 14569
«FarmName»
«FirstName»«LastName»
«Address»
«City», «State»«ZIPCode»
1