Because of frequent rainfall, hay making is problematic in central Florida. High biomass yields can be produced, but the crops must be handled as silage. Because of the long available harvest season, the cost of making silage should be less here than in other regions. Harvest of silage in central Florida with two different systems, standard (35-55 Mg/ha yield) and high-capacity (based on a hypothesized forage chopper expected to handle 55-75 Mg/ha yield), was simulated. Simulated harvest and transport cost for three versions of the standard system ranged from $108 . 10/dry Mg, when juice was expressed prior to ensiling in 320-Mg silage bags, to $114 . 15, when the chopped material was directly ensiled in an above-ground pile. Total cost was $101 . 70 for the high-capacity system. These costs compare to $57 . 25/dry Mg for hay. It appears that silage is not competitive with hay for cellulose feedstock, even in the advantageous climate of central Florida. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.