IN BRIEF

2 October 1998




IN BRIEF

&#8226 SUGAR beet can soak up maize clamp effluent and enhance feed value. Trident Feeds suggests using 30kg of molassed sugar beet/t of fresh maize harvested at 22% dry matter, and up to 130kg/t of fresh maize at 18% dry matter depending on pit height to ensure no effluent leakage. Producers must test maize dry matter before calculating precisely the sugar beet required to prevent run-off, otherwise energy from sugar beet will be lost.

&#8226 INACCURATE testing and different calibration of test equipment for maize analysis means % of grain yield is a more accurate way of assessing potential feed value, according to one plant breeder. Pioneer Hi-Bred believes collecting cobs from a given plant area, drying them and removing grains to measure actual grain content provides a reliable assessment of feeding quality. This allows variety comparison on % grain content and total yield, reflecting quality more accurately than ME and starch figures.

&#8226 THE amount of fertiliser applied to grassland countrywide has risen by 8kg/ha (6.4units/ac), according to figures released for the 1997 growing season. The British Survey of Fertiliser Practice, following a sharp decline in the previous year, applications to grassland in Scotland rose by 24kg/ha (19.2units/acre). In England and Wales increase in nitrogen use was just 5kg/ha (4units/ac), below long-term averages. &#42


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