Monday, November 13, 2006
63-9

Hybrid effects on corn silage quality.

Warren Whitaker and Chad Lee. University of Kentucky, 1405 Veterans Drive, Lexington, KY 40506

 

Four corn hybrid types at three plant densities and two nitrogen rates were evaluated for corn forage and silage quality. The four hybrid types included nutri-dense, waxy, leafy, and dual-purpose; while the three target plant densities were 54 000, 68 000, and 81 000 plants ha<sup>-1</sup>; and the nitrogen rates were 134 and 224 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>.  Hybrids were examined both at harvest and after ensiling for protein and digestibility.  Higher nitrogen rates and ensiling increased crude protein when averaged over all hybrids and plant densities.  Data for 2003 indicated neither plant density, nor nitrogen affected acid detergent fiber (ADF) or neutral detergent fiber (NDF); while the nutri-dense and leafy hybrids had the highest ADF and NDF values.