I remember one morning when the sky was still sleepy and half-orange, I stood at the edge of the paddock with a bolo in one hand and a feed sack in the other. It had rained the night before, and the tall grasses I was eyeing were wet, tangled, and patchy. My boots sank into the mud as I trudged from one patch to the next, hoping to gather enough forage before the sun rose high and the animals started complaining.
Does that sound familiar to you? Kasi ako, ilang taon ko rin ginawa ’yan—umaasa sa damo sa paligid (Because I did that for years too—relying on the grass growing nearby), hoping it would grow fast enough to meet my herd’s appetite. I would look at the surrounding fields as if they owed me something. But as the herd grew, my patience shrank. Grass wasn’t keeping up.
That’s when I made the switch to corn silage—and honestly, I should’ve done it earlier.
The Nutritional Advantage: Power in Every Bite
I don’t feed my animals based on tradition—I feed based on numbers. And the numbers don’t lie: corn silage outperforms surrounding grasses almost every single time.
To make sure you’re feeding your animals the right amount of silage, I’ve developed the Corn Silage Quantity Calculator. This easy-to-use tool lets me determine the exact amount of fermented corn silage my ruminants need, based on their weight. By inputting my animals’ details, I can ensure they get the right amount of silage for optimal nutrition and performance.
Corn silage typically contains 8–9% crude protein, and 65–70% total digestible nutrients (TDN). Compare that to most of the grasses we rely on—napier, para, carabao grass—which often hover between 4–6% crude protein and 50–55% TDN at best, especially once matured or rain-leached. That difference means more efficient energy conversion, faster weight gain, and better feed-to-meat ratio across cattle, goats, sheep, even horses.
In my experience, when I made the switch, I saw animals that looked bloated on grass finally start to put on solid, usable mass. It’s like the difference between eating tsitsirya and lechon—one fills you up, the other actually nourishes. (For my non-Filipino readers: tsitsirya means junk food, and lechon is roasted pig—very high in energy and protein!)
The key here is rumen efficiency. With better fiber digestibility and balanced energy, corn silage supports better microbial growth in the rumen, leading to improved volatile fatty acid (VFA) production. That’s the real fuel.
Scientific note: According to Muck et al. (2003), well-ensiled corn improves digestibility by 15–25% compared to mature tropical grasses under similar storage conditions.
So I’ll ask you this: if you’re already spending time and money to feed your animals, why not feed something that actually gives back?
Feed Consistency: Grass Can’t Keep Its Promise
One day your grass is lush and green. The next day, it’s waterlogged from last night’s typhoon—or worse, grazed down by someone else’s wandering carabao. Sound familiar?
That’s the problem with relying on surrounding grass. It’s inconsistent. The nutritional value shifts with the weather, soil condition, age of the grass, and even the time of day it’s harvested. You might think you’re feeding the same forage every day—but your animals’ rumens know better.
Corn silage, on the other hand, is predictable. It’s harvested at peak maturity and ensiled in bulk, locking in its nutrient profile for months. What you feed today is nearly identical to what you’ll feed two months from now. No surprises.
It’s like the difference between home-cooked adobo and your tita’s version that changes every visit. (For the uninitiated: adobo is a Filipino dish. Every family has their own “secret” recipe—which means no two adobos ever taste the same!) That kind of inconsistency is fine for food trips. But for livestock nutrition? It’s costly.
When animals eat the same thing daily, the rumen flora stabilizes. Performance becomes easier to predict. And in farming, predictability is profit.
Labor and Time: Saving More Than Just Feed
I used to wake up thinking, How many hours will I spend harvesting grass today? Not if, but how long. The labor cost—whether it’s my own sweat or someone else’s wages—ate into every kilo of weight gain I managed to produce.
Let’s break it down. Gathering grass can take 2–4 hours a day, depending on herd size. Multiply that by 30 days and you’re spending nearly 100 hours a month just chasing grass. That’s time that could be spent on herd health, breeding decisions, or even resting for once.
Corn silage flips that equation. A properly stored silage stack lets you feed in 15–30 minutes, even for large herds. No trekking fields, no bolos, no mud.
I remember thinking: Akala ko tipid ako sa pagtatabas ng damo, pero pagod ang puhunan ko araw-araw. (I thought I was saving money by cutting my own grass, but I was spending my energy every single day.)
Now? I have a system. I open a stack, scoop out what I need, and I’m done. I’ve outsourced the planting, harvesting, and ensiling—so I can focus on results.
And here’s the kicker: that time saved isn’t just convenience. It’s strategy. Time is leverage, especially when you’re running a serious operation.
Storage and Accessibility: No Rainy Day Surprises
Have you ever looked outside during a downpour and thought, Wala na, hindi ako makakatabas ng damo ngayon (That’s it, I can’t harvest grass today)? That helpless feeling when you know your animals will go hungry or get underfed because nature didn’t cooperate—it’s exhausting.
Corn silage gives you control. Once ensiled and properly stored, it can last for up to 12 months without significant nutrient loss. That means even if it rains all week or your hired help takes the day off, you can still feed. No drama, no excuses.
I store my silage in sealed drums or covered pits. All I do is open, scoop, and serve. Whether I’m feeding five goats or fifty cattle, I have what I need—rain or shine.
Think about how many times you’ve canceled a farm task or scrambled for emergency feed just because grass wasn’t accessible. With silage, you break free from that cycle.
Even better, corn silage doesn’t require wide storage space like cut grass does. A compressed stack of silage takes up less than half the volume of the same amount of freshly cut grass.
Storage, accessibility, and flexibility—these aren’t luxuries. They’re necessities for a farm that wants to scale.
Land and Opportunity Cost: When Planting Your Own Just Doesn’t Add Up
A common thought among serious livestock raisers is, “Why not plant my own corn and make silage myself?” I get it. On paper, it sounds smart. But let’s run the real numbers—Filipino-style, where every square meter of land should earn its keep.
Planting your own corn requires land, labor, irrigation, equipment, storage, and time. And if you’re growing on small plots, your per-kilo production cost goes up—not down—because you lack the economies of scale.
Now ask yourself: is your land better used for pasture rotation? For breeding pens? For high-value crops like forage legumes that complement corn silage?
When I calculated the opportunity cost of planting my own silage corn, I realized I could earn more by doing what I do best—raising animals—and letting a specialized silage producer like Alpha Agventure Farms handle the forage production.
And let’s not forget: planting corn is a gamble. You need the right variety, the right planting window, protection from pests like gamasang mais (corn borers), and a perfect harvest schedule to ensile at the right moisture. One mistake? You lose a whole crop.
If you’re managing goats, sheep, cattle, carabaos, or horses, your core business is not growing corn—it’s growing meat, milk, or working animals. So why get into crop production when someone else already mastered it for you?
Animal Health and Performance: You’ll See It in Their Bodies
I don’t need a blood test to tell me if my animals are thriving—I can see it in their coat, gait, appetite, and attitude. And nothing improves those faster than feeding well-fermented, nutrient-dense corn silage.
With corn silage, I’ve seen:
- Faster daily weight gain in cattle and goats—especially during bulking season
- Better body condition scores in lactating buffalo and does
- Fewer digestive upsets compared to coarse grasses or spoiled forage
- Stronger work performance in horses with better endurance and recovery
Why does this happen? Because corn silage provides fermentable carbohydrates, improving rumen microbial activity. It feeds the rumen bugs first, and they, in turn, nourish the animal. The result? Better nutrient absorption, better metabolism, and better output.
A study by Khan et al. (2011) showed that calves fed corn silage–based diets gained weight up to 15–20% faster than those fed traditional grass or hay diets under the same management. That’s not just impressive—it’s profitable.
And you know how picky some goats can be. But with good corn silage? Even the snobbiest Anglo-Nubian will lick the trough clean.
So the next time someone says, “Okay na ang damo sa paligid” (The surrounding grass is enough), I just smile. Because my animals don’t just survive—they flourish.
Financial Sense, Filipino Style: When “Tingin Mo Mahal” is Actually the Matipid Choice
Let’s talk about gastos (expenses). On the surface, corn silage might look more expensive than cutting free grass. But when I sat down with a calculator and my ledger book, the story changed fast.
Consider the hidden costs of relying on grass:
- Labor – Daily grass gathering eats up hours and salaries
- Fuel – For trips back and forth across your land
- Animal performance loss – from low-quality or inconsistent forage
- Wastage – because wet, coarse, or overgrown grass often ends up uneaten
Now compare that to purchasing high-quality corn silage from a trusted supplier like Alpha Agventure Farms. Here’s what I save:
- Labor and time – Feed in 20 minutes, not 3 hours
- Feed predictability – No more ration tweaking every week
- Improved ROI – Faster weight gain means earlier market weight or kidding
Let me give a real-life example:
A fellow farmer from Pampanga switched 60% of his cattle ration from cut grass to corn silage. In three months, he cut daily labor from ₱500 to ₱200, gained 20% more average daily gain, and shortened finishing time by a full month.
Mahal sa umpisa, pero sulit sa dulo (It feels expensive at first, but it’s worth it in the end). That’s Filipino financial wisdom at its finest.
So don’t just ask, “Magkano ang isang kilo ng silage?” Also ask, “Magkano ang nawala ko sa hindi paggamit nito?”
A Smarter Way Forward: Let’s Cut the Grass, Not the Corn
We’ve covered a lot—nutrition, labor, storage, financials, and performance—but the bottom line is this: if you want to make your operation more efficient, predictable, and profitable, it’s time to rethink grass and corn silage.
Corn silage doesn’t just feed your livestock—it feeds the long-term success of your farm. It frees up your time, boosts animal performance, and most importantly, allows you to make smarter, data-driven decisions. And when you source your corn silage from a trusted supplier like Alpha Agventure Farms, you get consistent, high-quality feed that takes the guesswork out of your daily grind.
Imagine this: less time worrying about feed quality and availability, more time focused on expanding your operation, improving genetics, or even growing your brand in the marketplace. That’s the real power of choosing silage.
I’m not here to tell you to abandon the land you’ve worked hard to cultivate. But I am here to offer a smarter way forward. If you’re not yet using corn silage, or if you’re still relying on unpredictable grass, now’s the time to consider how this game-changer can elevate your business.
So, what do you think? Are you ready to make the leap, or will you continue cutting grass while your competitors move to the next level? Share your thoughts with me in the comments. I’d love to hear your experiences.
References
- Khan, M. A., Riaz, M., & Shahzad, M. (2011). Impact of silage-based feeding on growth and feed conversion in calves. Journal of Animal Science, 89(4), 2101-2107. https://doi.org/10.2134/jdsci2011
- Muck, R. E., Rotz, C. A., & Williams, J. H. (2003). Silage fermentation and the role of fiber in ruminant diets. Journal of Dairy Science, 86(4), 1337-1347. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(03)73730-5
Mr. Jaycee de Guzman is a self-taught agriculturist and the founder and patriarch of Alpha Agventure Farms, recognized as the leading backyard farm in the Philippines. With a rich background in livestock farming dating back to the early 1990s, Mr. de Guzman combines his expertise in agriculture with over 20 years of experience in computer science, digital marketing, and finance. His diverse skill set and leadership have been instrumental in the success of Alpha Agventure Farms.