Drought-Stricken Corn Silage Values Spark Concern in North Dakota

North Dakota's scorching hot weather has forced farmers to decide whether to harvest their corn for grain or chop it for silage due to drought conditions. The dry spell has raised concerns about potential feed shortages, prompting producers to determine a fair price for standing corn sold for silage.

Corn silage is typically an energy feed, and its value can be compared with the local value of shelled corn and grass hay. According to North Dakota State University Extension, mature corn silage usually contains about 50% corn grain by dry-matter weight.

To estimate the wet yield of standing corn in 22-inch rows, producers can select a representative row, measure 23.8 feet, cut the corn at normal chopping height and weigh the harvested material. This process helps determine the value of the standing crop, which also accounts for harvesting and hauling costs.

For example, if shelled corn containing 13% moisture is valued at $4.25 per bushel and grass hay containing 10% moisture is valued at $90 per ton, their respective values can be converted to a value per pound of dry matter. Corn would be valued at 8.72 cents per pound of dry matter, while hay would be valued at 5 cents per pound.

NDSU Extension has revised its publication on determining the value of standing corn for silage with updated values and procedures, which can be found online along with a silage decision tool that allows producers to enter figures from their own operations. Producers should contact their insurance agent before chopping or selling standing corn to determine how the decision could affect yield history and potential insurance payments.