Schooten, H.A., van

Zom, R.L.G.

English

Wageningen Yield 

Fermentation and  nutrition value of blighted corn silage 
H.A. van Schooten and R.L.G. Zom 
ASG, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Lelystad, Netherlands;  
Email: herman.vanschooten@wur.nl 
 
Introduction In the Netherlands in 2007 the corn was infected with blight for the first time on a 
large scale. Infection of corn silages with Northern Leaf Blight  (H. turcicum) or with 
Helminthosporium Leaf Spot (H. carbonum) can reduce yield and may effect the quality 
depending on the time and seriousness of the infection(Caldwell and Perry, 1972: Van Schooten 
et al.,2009). The objective of this study was to monitor the fermentation characteristics and 
nutrition value of corn silages which were infected with Northern Leaf Blight or with 
Helminthosporium Leaf Spot. 
 
Materials and Methods  Silages made from blighted corn grown on twelve farms in 2007 were 
selected for this study. Core samples from the cutting surface of the silages were taken one time 
during the feedout period. The fermentation characteristics, chemical composition and,  
nutritional value of the blighted corn silages were quantified and compared with  non-infected 
corn silages. 
 
Results and Discussion Based on farmers observations, blight infections occurred at the end of 
the ear filling period or just after ear filling. At harvest, 80 to 100% of the stems and leafs were 
infected. The average whole crop dry matter (WCDM) content of the blighted corn silages was 
hardly lower than non-infected corn silage (Table 1) and varied from 280 to 360 g kg-1. Although 
there was a considerable variation the average lactic acid content of the blighted corn silages was 
equal to the non-infected corn silage. One blighted silage had a very low lactic acid content of 2 
g kg-1 (Figure 1). De somewhat higher average acetic and propionic acid content of the blighted 
corn silage compared to non-infected corn silage was caused by four silages which were treated 
with an additive, which stimulates the production of acetic acid. The starch content of nine of the 
12 blighted corn silages was lower than of non-infected corn silage (Figure 1). The average 
starch content of the blighted silages was 326 g/kg DM, which was slightly lower than the 
average of 345 g starch /kg DM in non-infected corn silage. Infection with Northern Leaf Blight 
or with Helminthosporium Leafspot did not have a negative effect on the NDF digestibility. The 
average NDF digestibility of the blighted silages was 50.6%, which was slightly higher than the 
non-infected corn silage.  
 
Conclusions When corn silage was harvested at a normal DM-content of 300 to 350 g/kg, 
infection with leaf blight had very little effect on fermentation characteristics and nutritional 
value. 
 
References 
Caldwell D.M. andT.W. Perry. 1972. Nutritional value of blighted corn as silage or as grain. 
Journal of Dairy Science 55: 1302-1304 
van Schooten, H.A., J.A.M. Groten, R. Meier, R.L.G Zom and H.T.A.M. Schepers. 2009. 
Helminthosporium in snijmaïs. Animal Sciences Group Wageningen  Universiteit en 
Researchcentrum, Lelystad, Nederland. 
 
Table 1. Silage characteristics, chemical composition and nutritive value of blighted silage corn 
(mean ± SD) compared with non-infected corn silage.   
Item Blighted silage corn (n=12) Non infected corn silage 
   
WCDM (g kg-1) 327 ± 34 340 
Silage characteristics   
pH (value) 4,0 ± 0,2 3.9 
Lactic acid  (g kg-1) 17,1 ± 5,8 17.3 
Acetic acid  (g kg-1) 6,7 ± 4,0 4.9 
Butyric acid (g kg-1) 0,1 ± 0,1 0.1 
Propionic acid  (g kg-1) 0,6 ± 0,9 0.1 
Ethanol  (g kg-1) 3,9 ± 0,8 2.5 
Chemical composition   
Crude protein (g kg DM-1) 67 ± 8 70 
Crude fiber (g kg DM-1) 200 ± 14 190 
Crude ash (g kg DM-1) 37 ± 3 38 
Sugar (g kg DM-1) 14 ± 5 13 
Starch (g kg DM-1) 326 ± 24  343 
NDF (g kg DM-1) 431 ± 29 393 
dNDF (%) 50,6 ± 1,8 49.2 
ADF (g kg DM-1) 235 ± 17 215 
ADL (g kg DM-1) 20 ± 1 19 
Nutritive value   
 dOM (%) 75,3 ± 0,9 75.3 
 NEL (MJ kg DM-1) 6,6 ± 0,1 6.6 
DVE 1 (g kg DM-1) 48 ± 2 51 
OEB 1  (g kg DM-1) -39 ± 6 -38 
1 DVE = available intestinally digestible protein   OEB = rumen degradable protein balance 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 1. Starch content and lactic acid content of the individual blighted corn silages compared 
with non infected corn silage 
200
250
300
350
400
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Farm No.
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 k
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Blighted corn silages
Non infected corn silage
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
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30.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1112
Farm No.
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 k
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Blighted corn silages
Non infected corn silage


Fermentation and nutritional value of blighted corn silage

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