Maize 2020

[Durry cows]

Anyone done any work on inclusion rate of sunflower/beans/peas and its effect on protein levels?

Have looked online there doesn’t seem to be much research in this country but abroad they’ve done a bit. Don’t think it’s anything groundbreaking more like a couple of percent protein increase maybe a fraction more yield overall and feed a few more pollinators all of this without costing the earth!

 

[ollie989898]

How do you control weeds if you have sunflowers and/or peas in it?

 

[stablegirl]

The big question is how ripe do you let it get? Last few years we've been around 35%dm, deadish looking plant and 10-20% of cobs hanging down.

Are we taking it too far?

 

[stablegirl]

 

[dinderleat]

The big question is how ripe do you let it get? Last few years we've been around 35%dm, deadish looking plant and 10-20% of cobs hanging down.

Are we taking it too far?

Higher dm maize is lot kinder on the cow than trying to deal with lower dm maize. I think your probably about spot on.

 

[Durry cows]

@Bald Rick how did you’re maize do in the end on sand etc I remember it was a big acreage?

 

[Bald Rick]

@Bald Rick how did you’re maize do in the end on sand etc I remember it was a big acreage?

I'm hiding in terror from this thread ..................

 

[Durry cows]

I'm hiding in terror from this thread ..................

Don’t worry I saw you got enough stick on the hojo thread! Next years another year...

 

[Beef farmer]

I'm hiding in terror from this thread ..................

Why? Those monkey bred cows haven't escaped and flattened it have they?

 

[Bald Rick]

Don’t worry I saw you got enough stick on the hojo thread! Next years another year...

Actually the men tell me it's ok (apart from where the sand blew away shortly after planting due to a wind storm) but we could do without 60mph winds we are currently experiencing
One day I will be brave enough to go and look

 

[Bald Rick]

Why? Those monkey bred cows haven't escaped and flattened it have they?

Finding it odd that they back away when I walk up to them as I'm far more used to having to fend off our jerseys. Hell, even the reds will stand for a tail or face rub.

 

[ollie989898]

The big question is how ripe do you let it get? Last few years we've been around 35%dm, deadish looking plant and 10-20% of cobs hanging down.

Are we taking it too far?

No, 35% DM and drying it down is good. Wet acidic maize silage being fed in big quantities is asking a lot of the cow.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

The crop this year was nothing to write home about but did well considering the rainfall.

Right around 17 ton/acre wet on the corn you see. We target 32-40% DM. I prefer 32-35 at 19mm chop length. If it’s wet they can eat quicker.

Had to buy in an additional 2000 ton to make up for the shortfall.

 

[Jdunn55]

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The crop this year was nothing to write home about but did well considering the rainfall.

Right around 17 ton/acre wet on the corn you see. We target 32-40% DM. I prefer 32-35 at 19mm chop length. If it’s wet they can eat quicker.

Had to buy in an additional 2000 ton to make up for the shortfall.

I would have thought 17t/acre is a decent crop how much do you normally aim for?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

I would have thought 17t/acre is a decent crop how much do you normally aim for?

Would normally want 18+. The ears were not large. Grain yield at 70-80 bu/acre. Last year did 19 ton/ac with 170bu/acre.

120 units N/acre + 8500 gallon ac effluent. No p or k

 

[stablegirl]

What did the cobs look like at the stage youve cut dead rabbits?

Do you have any pictures of the cobs?

Did i read that right 8500 gallon of slurry per acre? Was that just before cultivating to drill?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

What did the cobs look like at the stage youve cut dead rabbits?

Do you have any pictures of the cobs?

Did i read that right 8500 gallon of slurry per acre? Was that just before cultivating to drill?

Yeah we will put between 7500-8500 gallon/acre of effluent this time of year then plant cereal rye. Then another similar dose before planting in spring.

We do test the effluent and it can vary a lot but I don’t have the analysis to hand. Compared to some of what I saw over there ours is very watery.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

There is a lot of talk about waiting on the kernel to be at a certain stage etc, but I believe the correct DM is the most important thing. We will feed the fall calving cows up to 8.5 kg DM corn silage through winter.

 

[stablegirl]

Compared with UK crops thoose cobs look very ripe when the the crop still looks very green.

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Compared with UK crops thoose cobs look very ripe when the the crop still looks very green.

Yes it was a fairly dry year and those ears are stunted. Normally wouldn’t be quite that far along. I’m sure the difference is climate between us. Starch should be at peak though. The kernel processor did a good job fracturing them on one of the machines, not so much on the other.