Farmers evaluating corn silage now have an updated and more precise tool to guide their decisions. The MILK Index, developed at the University of Wisconsin nearly 30 years ago, recently underwent a significant update to better reflect modern dairy farming needs.

“The MILK Index provides one comprehensive value that predicts how a given corn silage can support milk production,” explained Luiz Ferraretto, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Ruminant Nutrition at UW-Madison. “This simplifies decisions for farmers by accounting for multiple nutrient factors and their digestibility.”

The updated model incorporates cutting-edge data and new testing methods, such as the use of undigested neutral detergent fiber (uNDF), which highlights the digestible portion of fiber. “This wasn’t available when the original model was created,” Ferraretto noted. “We’ve also improved starch digestibility predictions, ensuring a more accurate reflection of silage quality.”