With prolonged wet weather already complicating Nebraska's harvest, lodged corn can add another challenge for growers. Whether caused by disease, drought, wind or severe weather, downed stalks can slow harvest, increase grain loss and place additional demands on operators and equipment. Adjusting harvesting practices and combine settings can help growers recover more of the crop.

Harvesting severely lodged corn requires patience.

Communicate with everyone involved in harvest about the likelihood of slower speeds and reduced productivity. Taking frequent breaks, getting adequate rest and eating well can help manage the additional stress and fatigue associated with these conditions.

Growers may also face a shorter daily harvest window. Stalks may not feed well when wet with dew, while excessively dry stalks can pile up and interfere with feeding.

To minimize additional grain loss, harvest lodged corn as soon as field conditions allow safe equipment access. The longer stalks and ears remain close to the ground, the greater the risk of moisture exposure, mold development and declining grain quality.

When corn is lodged across the rows, harvesting from the downwind side of the field may improve gathering conditions.

When corn is lodged with the row, harvesting against the lean may help gathering chains pick up stalks.

However, don't assume one direction is always better. Check actual gathering losses to determine whether harvesting in only one direction reduces losses enough to justify the additional time and travel.

It is difficult to see missed ears under heavy residue. When conducting loss estimates, make sure to physically shuffle your feed through the check area to locate any hidden ears beneath the residue.

Grazing cattle may be an option for recovering some of the grain left in fields with significant corn lodging. However, excessive amounts of corn on the ground can increase the risk of grain overload (acidosis) in cattle. Producers should estimate the amount of corn remaining before grazing and develop a management plan to control grain intake.