Grain maize

[gareth lewis]

Currently toying with the idea of growing maize for grain but wouldn’t be under plastic but all will be sown on light ground which would travel all winter. Are there many farmers or contractors with a grain maize header and anyone north Shropshire area? What moisture% do you aim for and what yield would you expect to get.

 

[Bax]

You are going to be 30% moisture perhaps a bit lower in a favourable year. Yield would be 4.5 to 5t / acre wet for a good grower on decent land.

 

[Oscar]

Use to grow G Maize for 6 years . As Bax above re yield and moisture. It was surprising with a chopper under the header and combine driving on the chopped stalks and stubble how clean tyres on combine would keep although we had 4 wd. Problem were trailers and gateways. You also have the option to leave it until drier weather or frost, however balance that with losses from deer,badgers and birds.

 

[average farmer]

What’s the price of grain maize atm, what does it need to be dried down to ?

 

[OutdoorTim]

Seemed to be more grain maize combined this year than ever before ,if it was accessible that is .Farm next to us still has 102 acres untouched .Was a pain all winter for me trying to hold pheasants ,a minor thing for some but for lads like me who’s income revolves around birds not good .
The crop has of course had it now ,is swamped daily by crows and pigeons ,the fallow have certainly had their fill .
Will have to be chopped when the weathers better just to get it back in the ground I guess .

 

[Oscar]

No idea of price now but drying is an expensive hobby as it's got to be 14.5/15% max, two trips through drier sometimes and plenty of steam and fuel . Best way is to find customer who wants crimped maize and clamp it, even better if they can take it direct off field into their clamp. If it's in your own clamp then you need to be taking the face weekly or else the face losses are too high , especially in warmer weather. Long narrow clamps work best.