Costs of corn silage have risen, agronomists are recommended to reduce expenses
According to the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR), amid high nitrogen fertilizer prices, maize growers need to precisely measure nitrogen levels in the soil when planning sowing. Senior maize researcher René van Tilburg notes that applying excessive amounts of fertilizer leads to a waste of money. Instead of making customary assumptions, he recommends using a mineral nitrogen test and a potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) test, which allows for a more efficient matching of top dressing with crop requirements.
Recent FAR trials showed that despite significantly varying amounts of soil nitrogen across plots and different top-dressing application rates, grain yield remained stable at around 16 tonnes per hectare. In addition, on soils with good structure, tillage intensity can be reduced by switching to strip-till or no-till, or by decreasing cultivation depth to save labor, diesel fuel, and machinery. According to FAR estimates, the combination of reduced tillage intensity and soil testing can save from 300 dollars per hectare.
In turn, Corson Maize National Research Manager Mike Turner points out that from the 2021-22 to 2025-26 seasons, total silage production costs (from spraying to bunker cover) rose from 4,026 to 5,143 dollars per hectare, with the largest increase—approximately 41%—recorded for fertilizers, lime, and seed. Base fertilizers went up from 450 to 850 dollars per hectare. The expert emphasizes that since most costs are fixed, the only way to offset them is by achieving a good harvest through adherence to basic agronomic practices.
To protect margins, Mike Turner also advises selecting hybrids with risk management in mind: under conditions of potential dry and hot periods (including the predicted super El Niño weather pattern), growers without good soil moisture retention capacity are advised to shorten the comparative relative maturity (CRM) of hybrids to complete grain fill or dry-down before severe stress occurs.