Is it possible for farmers to get both high yields and quality feed?
This question is at the forefront of discussions with many dairy and livestock farmers in the Midwest. Should they focus on getting more tons of silage, or should they try to harvest the best feed for their animals, even if it means less crop in the bunker? Most people are trying to achieve a balance between yield and quality, and Dairyland Seed provides unique tools to help farmers do this.
Dairyland Seed, based in the heart of Wisconsin, has a unique portfolio called HiDF silage corn hybrids. HiDF stands for Highly Digestible Forage. These corn hybrids are selected from exclusive Corteva genetics specifically for silage needs and are proven to deliver both big yields and highly digestible feed. This means farmers can now get more silage tons and provide better nutrition for their cows.
“For a long time, farmers felt like they had to choose,” says Chad Staudinger, a Dairyland Seed regional agronomist. “What we’ve learned from 25 years of selecting HiDF hybrids is you don’t have to compromise one for the other. These hybrids help farmers get both—more silage and more milk from their cows.”
Every year, Dairyland Seed works directly with farmers across the Midwest to test its HiDF portfolio in on-farm situations. The product agronomy team runs hundreds of field trials checking things like yield, fiber digestibility and agronomic performance. These tests help Dairyland Seed recommend the best hybrids for local conditions.
Ryan Mueller, the Dairyland Seed product and agronomy lead, is proud of what the HiDF program has accomplished. “We continue to select products with a silage-first focus. Many others in the industry are selecting for grain first and then testing for silage. But HiDF hybrids don’t just yield higher tons per acre—they also help make more milk per ton. At the end of the day, the silage scales and lab analyses tell the real story, and farmers are noticing it.”
Dairyland Seed supports farmers from planting all the way to harvest. Their agronomy and sales teams help growers pick the best time to harvest and make sure the moisture level is correct. Simple choices, like the cutting height during harvest, can make a big difference, and Dairyland Seed staff are there to help answer questions or solve problems as they come up.
Joe Houser, Dairyland Seed general manager, says, “We don’t just sell seed and leave. We visit fields, talk with farmers and help work through any challenges. Our team wants every farm to succeed each year.”
Now, more than 20 percent of the Dairyland Seed corn portfolio is dedicated to silage. This shows how important dairy and livestock farms are to the company. Across the Midwest, farmers who plant HiDF hybrids are seeing their acres produce more tons and cows produce more milk, finding the balance that meets their goals.
As farms look for new ways to be successful and make more money, Dairyland Seed’s HiDF hybrids give them a helpful solution. The right genetics and support make it easier for farmers to get good results from every acre. Staudinger says, “Quality matters. When you get more tons and your cows give more milk, it helps your whole farm.”
More and more farmers want silage that gives them the best return. For anyone looking to improve their silage program, Dairyland Seed HiDF hybrids are making a difference. Farmers can contact their local Dairyland Seed dealer or visit DairylandSeedSilage.com to find the best hybrid for their fields.
Mueller sums it up, “We realize how important silage is to dairy and livestock operations, and we’ve invested over two decades of testing, selection and research into providing silage-first products to the industry. Dairyland Seed HiDF products make a difference, and we are proud of that.”
