Evaluating the Effects of Fungicide on Silage Corn Quality and Hygiene
2020
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, Department of Plant Pathology
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, Department of Dairy Science
Project Media
In Wisconsin, dairy cows eat on average 100 pounds of feed a day, about half of which typically is corn silage. Corn silage is an extremely important part of a dairy cow’s diet and provides much of the needed calorie and nutrition input. When making corn silage, the whole plant, including the stalk and ear is chopped and put into bunkers. In these large, cement bunkers the chopped corn is packed down tightly and covered in order to begin fermentation as quickly as possible. Ensiling through fermentation is the best way to preserve the quality and nutrition of feed and prevent degradation.
The objectives of our study were:
- Understand the impacts of fungicide treatments on deoxynivalenol production by Fusarium graminearum in silage corn.
- Understand the location of deoxynivalenol accumulation within the ear and stalk portions of the corn plant.