Maize harvest nearing completion
One of the wettest summers on record has made getting maize harvest challenging, reports Neil Groom, technical director for Grainseed.
What is important this season is that you analyse your maize silage and don’t assume its 30% dry matter and 30% starch, says Mr Groom. “To get the best from your maize also re-sample regularly. Some producers analyse all silages once a month so rations can be reformulated accounting for the quality of the silage.
“We know maize always feeds better after Christmas, as the acids in the clamp make the hard starch in the grains more accessible to the rumen. That’s why it’s always best to seal the clamp for six weeks before opening and feeding,” he adds.
Now is also the time to review the performance of your fields to create a plan on how to improve in 2013. Some growers are limited to the fields that will grow maize or grow maize on off-lying fields and have no opportunity to rotate the maize around the farm, but if you can it always benefits the maize crop and the arable or grass fields that are included in the rotation.
| Site | Drill date | Height above sea level (m) | Crop dry matter 2 November(%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petworth, Sussex | 18 April | 50 | Harvested |
| Harleston, Norfolk | 4 May | 30 | Harvested |
| Crediton, Devon | 5 May | 118 | Harvested |
| Ticknall, Derbyshire | 12 May | 67 | Harvested |
| Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire* | 4 May | 32 | Harvested |
| SAC, Dumfries, Scotland (plastic) | 26 April | 45 | 26.3 |
| SAC, Dumfries, Scotland | 26 April | 45 | 20.8 |
| * Variety Es Picker, all other sites are Es Ballade. Variety under plastic Es Marco | |||
Take a look at how maize harvest has progressed in your region and across the season