title: A survey of silage management practices on California dairies.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to gather baseline information on corn silage-management practices to develop an outreach curriculum for dairy producers and growers. In spring 2013, dairy producers in the San Joaquin Valley (California) were surveyed on their silage-management practices. Response rate was 14.5% (n=160) and herd size averaged 1,512 milking cows. Harvest date was set solely by the dairy producer (53.4%) or with the assistance of the crop manager, custom chopper, or nutritionist (23.3%). On some dairies (23.3%), the dairy producer delegated the harvest date decision. Most dairies (75.0%) estimated crop dry matter before harvest, and the preferred method was milk line evaluation. Dairy producers were mostly unfamiliar with harvest rate but the number [1 (35.9%), 2 (50.3%), or 3 to 5 (13.8%)] and size [6-row (17.7%), 8-row (67.3%), or 10-row (15.0%)] of choppers working simultaneously was reported. Most dairies used a single packing tractor (68.8%) and weighed every load of fresh chopped corn delivered to the silage pit (62%). During harvest, dry matter (66.9%), particle length (80.4%), and kernel processing (92.5%) were monitored. Most dairies completed filling their largest silage structure in less than 3 d (48.5%) or in 4 to 7 d (30.9%). Silage covering was completed no later than 7 2h after structure completion in all dairies, and was often completed within 24 h (68.8%). Packed forage was covered as filled in 19.6% of dairies. Temporary covers were used on some dairies (51.0%), with filling durations of 1 to 60 d. When temporary covers were not used, structures were filled in no more than 15 d. After structure closure, silage feedout started in 1 to 3 wk (44.4%), 4 to 5 wk (31.4%), or 8 or more wk (24.2%). Future considerations included increasing the silage storage area (55.9%), increasing the number of packing tractors (37.0%), planting brown mid-rib varieties (34.4%), buying a defacer to remove silage (33.1%), and creating drive-over piles (32.6%). Survey results will serve to develop and disseminate targeted information on silage management practices at harvest, packing, covering, and feedout on California's San Joaquin Valley dairies.
authors.affiliation: University of California Cooperative Extension, 3800 Cornucopia Way, Suite A, Modesto 95358.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Heguy
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, 18830 Road 112, Tulare, CA 93274; Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis 95616. Electronic address: nsilvadelrio@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Silva-Del-Río
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002140:California; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012820:Silage / Q000032:analysis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D003313:Zea mays
keywords: California; corn silage; dairy; survey