The drought of 2012 forced many corn fields to be salvaged as corn silage and fed to beef cattle.

Hay was in short supply, so this additional feed was beneficial. Some beef producers became re-acquainted with silage, and some producers were introduced to this feedstuff. Some producers have gotten along very well with silage, and others have not been as successful.

If handled appropriately, corn silage is an excellent ingredient in beef cattle diets. Current prices for grass hay make silage a more attractive option for beef cattle operations than in past years.

A meeting entitled “Corn Silage Production for Beef Cattle Operations” has been scheduled to address some of the issues associated with planned corn silage production.

The program will be Monday, March 4, at the Windsor Livestock Auction beginning at 7 p.m. Topics to be addressed include: Agronomic Aspects of Growing Corn for Silage; Silage vs. Grain Varieties; Economic Considerations of Corn Silage Production for Beef Producers; and Silage Storage and Feeding Considerations.

David Bruit with Mitogen Seeds, and MU Extension Specialists Travis Harper, Brent Carpenter and Patrick Davis will be presenters. There is no charge for the program.

The purpose of this program is to provide producers information on how they can incorporate corn silage as a regular component of their winter feeding programs. A second program is being planned for later in the year to further address harvest, storage and feeding issues.

For more information contact Gene Schmitz at the Benton County Extension Center at 660-438-5012.