By Dwane Miller
For over 15 years the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) and Penn State have partnered in a corn silage hybrid testing program. The purpose of the testing program is to evaluate various corn hybrids for silage yield and other important agronomic characteristics. Results of the test can assist farmers in selecting hybrids best suited to their operation.
Beginning in 2019, a ranking tool known as the Organic Matter Digestibility Index (OMD Index) was used. This tool continues to be used through the 2021 testing for all locations, hybrids, and maturities. This data, as well as yield, digestibility, and other near infared parameters are measured.
In 2021, the silage trial locations encompassed 4 growing zones (short, mid-season, mid-season planted in late season locations, and late-season) across 8 counties. You can view the 2021 silage data on the Penn State Extension website. The corn grain data is still being tabulated and will be published to the same website in the near future.
Source : psu.edu