Not a lot of help for your specific situation, but there can be a huge difference between varieties as to snapping off the ear versus snapping the stalk off.  Silage varieties are often worse, in my experience, but that's been a few years in the past, so don't take that for too much.  It helps to keep the head as high as possible so as to tilt the elevator back a little more.  The very best time to pick is as soon as it is dry enough after a light rain.  It sometimes makes a difference which way you drive through the field is the tops are already starting to break off.