Moisture content at chopping is the most critical factor influencing corn silage fermentation. Wet silage will run or seep, carrying away valuable nutrients, and it often has a sour, smelly, unpalatable fermentation. Dry silage often heats and molds, lowering energy and protein digestibility, because dry silage is difficult to pack, allowing more oxygen to remain imbedded inside the silage.

Adding water to increase moisture content is next to impossible. It takes about 7 gallons of water for each ton of silage to raise moisture content just one point. So, to increase moisture content of just 10 tons of silage from 55 percent moisture to 65 percent, it will take about 700 gallons of water.

A more practical solution may be to blend a wetter feed, like fresh alfalfa, forage sorghum, or green soybeans with dry corn. It can be tricky to get the right combination, but it can produce excellent silage. Get the moisture right for the best silage. Then chop fine, pack well, and cover with plastic for good results.