A Shropshire arable grower is successfully developing new end uses for his maize crop with grain destined for the livestock feed market.

John Suckley grows more than 500ha of maize at Cludley farm near Telford. The crop of Benicia (pictured being harvested) was drilled back in mid-march under plastic and has all been sold to local dairy and beef farms as a high starch concentrate.

The crop averaged between 11.3 and 12.3t/ha with a dry matter of around 65%. The harvested grain is then crimped and ensiled with an additive to prevent spoilage.

“Trash from the crop is ploughed under and is a useful source of organic matter,” he said. The plastic covering has completely broken down by this time. He aims to drill winter wheat in the ground.

Agrovista supplied the seed, plastic film and herbicide inputs for this crop and helped Mr Suckley with marketing the end product to local stock farmers.