At Masters Choice, our commitment to the livestock and silage really differentiates us from our competition. There really aren’t any other companies out there that have structured their entire business, and corn breeding programs, to cater to the needs of livestock producers. One of the most incredible advances that dedication has brought is our revolutionary MPG Index, a proprietary hybrid evaluation system that can statistically prove our milk production advantage over the competition.
For close to a decade we have been carefully refining our hybrid selection tool, aiming to narrow in on the products that digest most efficiently and make the biggest impact on the farm. Through the years our selection process has evolved into the MPG Index. It is our firm belief that there is not one single test that can accurately correlate the quality of silage to milk production. So, rather than rely on one test, or even just one lab’s analysis, we have created this unique Index to marry together over 25 different layers of testing, creating the most accurate picture possible.
To our knowledge, this is the most exhaustive forage analytic metric in the world, and it’s backed and validated by an 8 week, 96 cow, privately commissioned feeding trial. The trial confirmed that hybrids with a higher MPG Index score had a greater potential to make milk. To us, this is a breakthrough that demonstrates when you’re selecting silage hybrids for your farm, you can feel confident in placing a Masters Choice hybrid that has been repeatedly tested and proven.
One factor that contributes to the increased digestibility of our softer grain, is passage rate. These floury hybrids can stay in the rumen up to twice as long as harder, slicker industry hybrids, even when both are ground to fine dust. One recent study shows that vitreous hybrids pass through the digestive system twice as fast as floury varieties. Because our hybrids stay in the rumen longer, they have more time to be digested.
At Masters Choice, the journey for a new hybrid to make the lineup is more complicated than at most places. Like our competitors, we carefully screen all our potential hybrids for yield and agronomics (because it doesn’t matter how well our corn feeds without them). After those stages though, our experimentals go through rigorous nutritional testing in our MPG Index. Only hybrids that demonstrate top end yield, superior agronomics, and elite nutritional characteristics make it into this lineup.
Floury grain demonstrates a notable difference to feeding vitreous grain anytime of the year. This difference is most notable though, when fed early with minimal ensiling. Floury grain can be fed much earlier in the fall, without any drop in milk production. Recent data shows that a floury Masters Choice hybrid reaches 75% starch availability in only 28 days, while it takes 105 days for our competitor to reach the same milestone. This saves dairy producers from the dreaded “fall slump”, and in turn, saves them time and money.
