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Evaluation of Corn Products for Silage Yield Potential and Quality - 2022
Trial Objective
- Cattle producers across the Great Plains rely on corn silage as a feedstock. A desirable corn silage product should provide a combination of high tonnage and favorable quality characteristics.
- The objectives of this study were to:
- Evaluate nine Channel® brand corn products with relative maturities (RM) from 100 to 117.
- Provide farmers with insight into different product options to help maximize yield and quality potential within their geography.
Research Site Details
Location | Gothenburg, NE | ||
Soil Type | Hord silt loam | ||
Previous Crop | Soybean | ||
Tillage Type | Strip-tillage |
Planting Date | 4/27/2022 | ||
Harvest Date | 9/2/2022 & 9/9/2022 | ||
Potential Yield (bu/acre) | 270 | ||
Seeding Rate (seeds/acre) | 32K |
- The study was designed as a randomized complete block design with three replications.
- Nine Channel® brand corn products with relative maturities ranging from 100 to 117 were evaluated for tonnage and quality characteristics.
- Sprinkler irrigation was used to apply 10-inches of water during the growing season. An additional 9.45- inches of rainfall occurred during the growing season.
- The trial was strip-tilled on 04/25/2022 with a base fertilizer application of 29 lbs of nitrogen (N/acre), 60 lbs of phosphorus (P/acre), 25 lbs of sulfur (S/acre), and 0.25 lbs Zinc (Zn/acre).
- Silage was harvested when most of the products were at about half to two-thirds milk line using a silage chopper without a kernel processor. Total biomass was collected and weighed. A sample of the freshly chopped material was collected and sent to Dairyland Laboratories Inc. for silage quality analysis.


Understanding the Results
Table 1. Key yield and quality characteristics of 9 Channel® brand corn products evaluated to determine silage utility.
- Channel® brand corn products 206-99STXRIB brand blend, 213-93STXRIB brand blend, and 214-78DGVT2PRIB brand blend produced higher tonnage than the other products tested.
- The growing season was drier than average and 214-78DGVT2PRIB brand blend produced the highest tonnage which could be attributed to the DroughtGard® Hybrids trait.
- In terms of silage quality characteristics, results for each characteristic were highly dependent on the specific corn product and not related specifically to RM. Table 1 lists the quality characteristics for each corn product tested.
Key Learnings
- Producers should work with their local Channel® brand seed sales team to help identify the corn product or products with the desired silage characteristics for their operation.
- Additional quality characteristics are available on request working through your local sales team.
- Corn product selection for silage production depends on the RM that the grower needs for their geography.
- Each product, regardless of RM, has a specific set of fiber quality characteristics and growers should consider the product options within their optimal RM range to suit their specific operation.
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Channel® Brand Corn Product Silage Tonnage and Quality - 2021
Trial Objective
Corn silage is an important feedstock for cattle producers and dairies across the Great Plains. Desirable corn products should produce high tonnage with favorable silage quality characteristics.
- The objectives of this study are:
- to evaluate different corn products covering a range of relative maturities for high tonnage and good silage quality characteristics.
- to provide insights to farmers on different product options to help maximize yield and quality potential.
Research Site Details
Location | Gothenburg, NE | ||
Soil Type | Silt loam | ||
Previous Crop | Soybean | ||
Tillage Type | Strip-tillage |
Planting Date | 5/1/2021 | ||
Harvest Date | 9/13/2021 & 9/21/2021 | ||
Potential Yield (bu/acre) | 270 | ||
Seeding Rate (seeds/acre) | 32K |
The study was set up as a randomized complete block with three replications.
Eight Channel® brand corn products with relative maturities from 100 to 115 were evaluated.
Irrigation was applied as needed using sprinkler irrigation.
Fertility included 27 lb. N/acre, 60 lb P/acre, 25 lb S/acre, 0nd 0.25 lb Zn/acre applied with strip-till 4/27/21, followed by 120 lb N/acre applied with 360 Y-DROP® applicators on 6/24/21. Weeds were controlled as needed and no fungicides or insecticides were applied.
- Silage was harvested when most of the products were at approximately half to two-thirds-milk line using a silage chopper without a kernel processor. Total biomass was collected and weighed. A subsample of the freshly chopped material was collected and sent to Dairyland Laboratories Inc. for silage quality analysis.
Understanding the Results


Results showed a general trend towards increasing yield potential as relative maturity increased from early maturing products to later maturing, with tonnage ranging from approximately 26 tons/acre for the earliest RM product tested to over 32tons/acre for several of the corn products of 113RM or greater (Figure 1).
In terms of silage quality characteristics, results for each characteristic measured were highly dependent on the specific corn product and not related specifically to the relative maturity of the product. Table 1 lists all the quality characteristics for each corn product.
Key Learnings
Corn product selection for silage production will depend on the RM, as well as agronomic and disease tolerance characteristics that the grower needs to suit their local environment and management practices.
Each corn product, regardless of RM, has a specific set of quality characteristics and growers should consider all the product options within their optimal RM range to find products that fit their specific operation.
Producers should work with their local seed sales team to identify the right corn product for their operation
7006_R3
Corn Product Silage Quality and Tonnage - 2020
TRIAL OBJECTIVE
- Corn silage is an important feedstock for cattle producers across the Great Plains.
- Desirable corn products should produce high tonnage with favorable silage quality characteristics.
- In this study, the objective was to provide insights to farmers on which of the corn products evaluated have high tonnage and good silage quality characteristics.
RESEARCH SITE DETAILS
Location | Gothenburg, NE | ||
Soil Type | Silt loam | ||
Previous Crop | Soybean | ||
Tillage Type | Strip-till |
Planting Date | 4/28/20 | ||
Harvest Date | 9/15/20 | ||
Potential Yield (bu/acre) | 250 | ||
Seeding Rate (seeds/acre) | 40K |
- The study was set up as a randomized complete block with three replications.
- Six Channel® corn products were evaluated.
- Corn was sprinkler irrigated. Fertility included 100 lb N/acre applied with a streamer bar on 4/27/20, followed by 90 lb N/acre and 15 lb S/acre applied with 360 Y-DROP® applicators on 6/24/20. Weeds were controlled as needed and no fungicides or insecticides were applied.
- Silage was harvested when most of the products were at approximately half-milk line using a silage chopper without a kernel processor. Total biomass was collected and weighed. A subsample of the freshly-chopped material was collected and sent to Dairyland Laboratories Inc. for silage quality analysis.
- Two corn products (213-93STXRIB, 218-44STXRIB) had greensnap at a high level which did not allow for silage tonnage to be calculated but a subsample was taken for silage quality analysis.
UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS



- Corn product tonnage was numerically different but variability in the study did not allow for significant differences to be observed (Figure 2).
- Corn silage quality was different in all parameters tested (Table 1).
- 215-98STXRIB Brand blend produced the highest average tonnage and along with 209-15STXRIB Brand blend, had the best quality as judged by milk per ton. 218-44STXRIB Brand blend had the poorest quality as indicated by milk per ton.
Key Learnings
- Producers should work with their local seed sales team to identify which Channel® corn product is right for their operation.
7006_R3
Corn Product Silage Quality and Tonnage - 2019
Trail Objective
Corn silage is an important feedstock for cattle producers across the Great Plains.
Desirable corn products should produce high tonnage with favorable silage quality characteristics.
- In this study, the objective was to provide insights to farmers on which of the 22 corn products evaluated have high tonnage and good silage quality characteristics.
Research Details
Location | Gothenburg, NE | ||
Soil Type | Hord silt loam | ||
Previous Crop | Soybean | ||
Tillage Type | Strip tillage |
Planting Date | 5/23/19 | ||
Harvest Date | 10/1/19 | ||
Potential Yield (bu/acre) | 250 | ||
Seeding Rate (seeds/acre) | 36K |
Understanding the Results
The study was set up as a randomized complete block with three replications.
Twenty-two corn products were evaluated.
Corn was sprinkler irrigated and weeds were controlled as needed. No fungicide or insecticide was applied.
Silage quality was sampled for each corn product at ½ milk line. Sampling dates varied by relative maturity, but all sampling occurred in the last two weeks of September.
Corn products were hand-harvested about 4 inches above the soil surface to provide a representative sample and were then chopped with a silage chopper.
A subsample of the freshly-chopped material was collected and sent to Dairyland Laboratories Inc. for silage quality analysis.
Total biomass was collected, weighed, and tonnage was determined for each corn product.
Corn products did vary in silage quality and tonnage as there were significant differences in all parameters tested as reported in Table 1.
Figure 1. Short-and long-season corn products at harvest.



Key Learnings
Producers should work with their local seed sales team to identify how their branded corn products performed in this study.
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