WHY GROW MAIZE
by Lee Kirk, Marketing and Technical Manager, Barenbrug UK
There has been a marked development in the growth of the maize market in Northern Ireland in the last few years. There are good reasons for this, such as energy production, high yields, increased animal intakes and others, such as my neighbour grew it last year and "if we get some of that maize, it will solve all of our problems". Therefore, we need to be clear why we are growing the crop and what it will do for us.
Why Grow Maize?
This is the real issue, which must be addressed, before contemplating growing the crop. Higher voluntary intake is one advantage from including maize in the diet. |  |
Another is higher dry matter production, although large amounts of dry matter can be reliably grown, in Northern Ireland, from other sources such as grass and even lucerne. Therefore, it is ultimately the quality of the forage, which many believe should be the main aim of maize production. Thus, starch density, rather than total crop yield should be the target, requiring lower dry matter intake, to achieve the same intake of energy. After all, it is intake that most farmers would highlight as limiting their production systems.
Agronomy
It is certain that the breeders have done a great job in breeding varieties, which are more suited to the northern part of Europe. However, we must remember that the crop is at the northern edge of its current production potential. It is sensitive to stress and must be managed well in order to get the best from it. Site selection is important, with fields offering south facing slopes, free draining soils that warm up quickly in the spring and shelter, being the best. Soils should be free from compaction, as the maize roots will struggle to penetrate the soil and the plant will suffer later, at the critical seed formation stage. Generally speaking, the more marginal the site, the more, good husbandry becomes even more critical.
Drilling should not take place too early, but only once the soil temperature has reached 8 to 10 centigrade consistently for a week. Maize does not require large amounts of nitrogen, but potash and phosphate are important. It is a good idea to apply a fertiliser, which is high in phosphate, usually "down the spout" of the drill so it is close to the seed, to aid good seedling and root development. Once established, adequate weed control is vital, as maize cannot tolerate competition and starch yield will be compromised.
Coming to harvesting, it is essential to manage the process well, ensuring the contractor is booked, the clamp area is ready and the silage is well consolidated. A target dry matter of 22 to 26% dry matter should be achievable, with starch content of 22 to 24%. There are a range of additives available, offering good performance, some of which have been specifically designed for use on maize. Salt can be used on the top of the clamp, in order to prevent spoilage, but longer thinner clamps have smaller faces and hence help reduce losses.
Plastic?
There are two main questions regarding the use of plastic. Firstly, does the use of plastic allow me to grow maize where I could not grow it before, by increasing the growing season? If the answer is yes, how important is it to grow maize? Secondly, does it increase total yield per acre, which more than pays for the cost of the plastic? The use of plastic increases the cost by around £60.00 per acre. These questions need to be answered in the context of each field, in order to decide if plastic should be used.
For further details regarding the growing of maize and varietal selection, please contact David Linton of Barenbrug on 07740 063315
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