Considering Corn Silage Cost of Production

Dianne Shoemaker, Dairy Farm Management Field Specialist, Ohio State University Extension

The cost of raising a ton of corn silage, like the cost of producing a hundredweight of milk, varies across farms and years. For example, in 2019 the 33 Ohio Farm Business Analysis corn silage enterprises reported an average yield of 18.8 ton/acre, but yields ranged from 10 to 25 ton/acre. Yields directly impact cost of production and subsequently feed costs. 

When dairy farms participate in the Ohio Farm Business Analysis program, we do an enterprise analysis for the dairy, and most farms also complete enterprise analysis of their crop enterprises. Let’s take a closer look at corn silage production for the three-year period from 2017 through 2019 (Table 1).

Table 1. Annual and average yields and returns per acre for corn silage grown on owned and rented land, 2017-2019.

 

2017

2018

2019

3-year Average

Enterprises

34

26

33

 

Yield, ton/acre

20.2

22.3

18.8

20.5

Value, $/ton

$41.10

$35.97

$39.27

$38.78

Crop insurance revenue, $/ac

$8.39

$3.61

$67.28

$26.42

Other crop income, $/ac

$0.31

$2.04

$33.08

$11.81

Gross returns, $/ac

$843

$807

$840

$830

Every year, at least a few of the farms experience poor local weather conditions, which explains much of the typical range of yields. On an annual basis, yield per acre ranged from 11 to 28 ton/acre in 2017, 17 to 28 ton/acre in 2018, and 10 to 25 ton/acre in 2019. While some corn silage yielded well in 2019, the $67 average crop insurance revenue per acre and lowest average yield per acre reflects 2019’s widespread weather challenges. 2019’s Market Facilitation Program payments are included in the “Other Crop Income” category whether they were received in 2019 or 2020 (the third tranche).

In this 3-year period, the average total cost of producing corn silage was $746 per acre (Table 3). What inputs were the biggest contributors? The largest are shown in Table 2. Seed, fertilizer, custom hire, and the cost of land represented by either cash rent, or for owned land, the cost of real estate taxes and mortgage interest.

Table 2. Five highest expenses per acre for corn silage grown on owned and rented land, annual and average for 2017-2019.

 

2017

2018

2019

3-year Average

Seed

$124

$91

$122

$110

Fertilizer

$100

$104

$111

$105

Custom hire

$113

$95

$111

$103

Land rent1

$99

$94

$108

$100

Real estate taxes & mortgage Interest2

$83

$100

$117

$100

1Rented land only, 2Costs associated with land ownership, interest estimated.

For these dairy farms, home grown forage is “sold” or charged to the dairy enterprise at the total (direct + overhead expenses) cost of production per ton. Some farms also sell corn silage to other farms above their cost of production. 

Once the crop is in the ground, the biggest factor impacting the farm’s cost of production per ton is the final yield. Keeping in mind the range in yields helps to explain the range in cost of production in 2019, from less than $18 per ton to more than $100 per ton. While some of the cost of the $100+ per ton corn silage might be offset by crop insurance revenues, low yields and the need to purchase replacement forages will impact those farms’ finances well into the future.

Table 3. Annual and average direct and total costs per acre and per ton for corn silage grown on owned and rented land, 2017 - 2019.

 

2017

2018

2019

3-year Average

Direct costs, $/ac

$621

$570

$610

$600

Direct + overhead costs, $/ac

$747

$704

$787

$746

Direct costs, $/ton

$30.70

$25.64

$32.46

$29.60

Direct + overhead costs, $/ton

$36.90

$31.59

$41.77

$36.75

Cost of feed impacts dairy enterprise profitability. Input costs and yields impact costs of feed. In 2019, the median cost of production for corn silage was $37.32/ton. That means that half of the corn silage fed cost between $18 and $37.32/ton to feed, and half cost between $37.32 and $100+/ton to feed. Which side of $37 are you on? Which side do you want to be on?

If you want to choose sides, enroll in the 2020 Ohio Farm Business Analysis Program. Farms can enroll now and work with their technician to complete their analysis by the May 27th deadline. The information you receive from your analysis will tell you where you were in 2020. Integrating that information with your agronomic decisions will help you choose sides and line up for a profitable future.C ontact me at shoemaker.3@osu.edu or 330.257.3377 to discuss analysis for your farm.