What’s the relationship between corn grain yield and silage yield?

Mike Rankin, Crops and Soils Agent, University of Wisconsin – Extension.

There are sometimes situations when growers want to know how to estimate corn grain yield from silage yield, or vice versa.  For many years, this relationship has been reported as 6 to 7 bushels of grain for each ton of silage (65% moisture) harvested.  During the past several years, Joe Lauer, UW-Extension Corn Agronomist, has harvested a number of research plots both as grain and silage to see if the old relationship still applies with newer hybrids that are more resistant to environmental stresses.  The field plots encompassed a wide range of growing conditions and hybrids.  Indeed, the relationship has changed and the results are presented below.