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Cited by 82Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive PhysiologyAgricultural Engineering and MechanizationCrop Yield and Soil Fertility

Corn Silage Management: Effects of Hybrid, Chop Length, and Mechanical Processing on Digestion and Energy Content

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Johnson, L.M., Harrison, J.H., Davidson, D., Mahanna, W.C., Shinners, K.·2003·Journal of Dairy Science
DOI 10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(03)73601-7
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Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of chop length and mechanical processing of two hybrids of whole plant corn on digestion and energy content of the total mixed ration (TMR). The experimental designs in experiments 1 and 2 were 6 x 6 and 4 x 4 Latin squares, respectively. In the first experiment, Pioneer hybrid 3845 was harvested at three theoretical lengths of cut: 11.1, 27.8, and 39.7 mm. At each chop length, corn was harvested with and without mechanical processing using a John Deere 5830 harvester with an onboard kernel processor. In the second experiment, Pioneer hybrid Quanta was harvested at two theoretical lengths of cut: 27.8 and 39.7 mm, with and without mechanical processing. In both experiments, the increase in the theoretical length of cut of corn silage increased the average length of cut and tended to increase the percentage of particles greater than 19 mm and lower the percentage of particles between 8 and 19 mm. In experiment 1, apparent total tract dry matter, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibilities were lower for cows fed diets containing corn silage harvested at a short chop length (11.1 mm) than for corn silage harvested at a long chop length (39.7 mm). The lower total tract digestibility of nutrients may have contributed to the lower TDN, metabolizable energy (percentage of digestible energy), and NEL concentration of diets containing the short chop length corn silage (experiment 1). In experiment 2, total tract starch digestibility was greater for cows fed medium chop (27.8 mm) corn silage diets, and total tract NDF digestibility was greater for cows fed long chop (39.7 mm) corn silage diets. The opposing effect of total tract starch and fiber digestibilities between chop lengths may have contributed to the lack of difference in energy content of the diets in experiment 2. The TDN and NEL concentrations of the processed corn silage diets were greater than the unprocessed corn silage diets in experiment 1. The increase in energy concentration for the processed corn silage diet was due to greater total tract digestibility of organic matter and ether extract. Total tract starch digestibility was greater, and total tract NDF digestibility was lower for cows fed processed corn silage diets than unprocessed corn silage diets in experiment 2. The opposing effect of total tract starch and fiber digestibilities between processed and unprocessed corn silage may have contributed to the lack of difference in energy content of the diets.

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  • Kernel processing lessened the amount of intact kernels when theoretical length of cut was 11.1 mm, but not when it was 27.8 or 39.7 mm.

    “Johnson et al. (2003) reported that kernel processing lessened the amount of intact kernels when TLOC was 11.1 mm, but not when 27.8 or 39.7 mm.”

    From Silage review: Recent advances and future technologies for whole-plant and fractionated corn silage harvesting (2018) · cites this paper as Johnson et al., 2003

    The discussion of intact kernels (page not available in our copy) says that processing did not reduce their amount in experiment 1, which tested all three stated cut lengths. Table 3 reports more intact kernels at 11.1 mm with processing (23.3%) than without it (16.1%), the opposite of the claimed reduction. (LLM, conf=0.91)

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  • Higher ruminal propionate concentrations for cows fed processed whole-plant corn silage may decrease meal size and thus dry matter intake.

    “Alternatively, higher ruminal propionate concentrations for cows fed processed WPCS (Dhiman et al., 2000;Schwab et al., 2002;Johnson et al., 2003) may decrease meal size and thus DMI (Allen et al., 2009).”

    From Silage review: Recent advances and future technologies for whole-plant and fractionated corn silage harvesting (2018) · cites this paper as Johnson et al., 2003

  • The stover fraction is also crushed and mean particle length is reduced when forage harvesters are equipped with processing rolls, particularly under tighter roll-gap settings.

    “But the stover fraction is also crushed and MPL reduced when forage harvesters are equipped with processing rolls (Table 2; Johnson et al., 2003), particularly under tighter roll-gap settings (Shinners et al., 2000).”

    From Silage review: Recent advances and future technologies for whole-plant and fractionated corn silage harvesting (2018) · cites this paper as Johnson et al., 2003

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [6]6. Doggett, C. G. 1998. Evaluation of the effect of corn hybrid and processing on digestion of whole plant silage, grain, and stover. MS Thesis, Univ. Idaho, Moscow, Idaho.
  2. [20]20. Schurig, M., and G. Rodel. 1993. Power consumption and the effect of corncrackers. ASAE paper no. 931586. American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, MI. Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 86, No. 1, 2003 SAS User's Guide: Statistics, Version 6.03 Edition. 1988. SAS Inst., Inc., Cary, NC.

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Authors
Johnson, L. M., Harrison, J. H., Davidson, D., Mahanna, W. C., & Shinners, K.
Affiliations
  • Washington State University (US)
  • University of Wisconsin System (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Dairy Science
Publisher
American Dairy Science Association
Published
2003-01
Volume
86
Issue
1
Pages
208-231
ISSN
0022-0302 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(03)73601-7
OpenAlex
W2078668362
Semantic Scholar
1049376a88cd40bd5d144a55284e7ebf66dcb659
Cited by
68
References
29
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 4
FWCI
6.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Dairy Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Crop Yield and Soil Fertility
Keywords
corn silage, chop length, mechanical processing, total mixed ration, dairy cattle, nutrient digestibility, starch digestibility, NDF digestibility, metabolizable energy, net energy for lactation, ether extract digestibility, total tract digestibility, neutral detergent fiber, dry matter digestibility
MeSH terms
Animals, Animal Feed, Energy Intake, Cattle, Zea mays, Detergents, Dietary Fiber, Digestion, Female, Fermentation, Food Handling, Hybridization, Genetic, Lactation, Milk, Nitrogen, Particle Size, Random Allocation, Rumen, Silage, Starch

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