Maize 2020

[dinderleat]

Out checking maize with the boss

 

[Ducati899]

One piece of my maize is nearly there,might nibble it off within next 7 day’s

 

[stablegirl]

Really struggling to decide if i should go next week?

Cobs hard, can get a little moisture out of them, plants still pretty green.

 

[Beef farmer]

Really struggling to decide if i should go next week?

Cobs hard, can get a little moisture out of them, plants still pretty green.View attachment 904894View attachment 904895

Good cob for starch, bit of green fir some feed in the straw?

 

[jondear]

Really struggling to decide if i should go next week?

Cobs hard, can get a little moisture out of them, plants still pretty green.View attachment 904894View attachment 904895

Go on you know you want to!

 

[stablegirl]

Last year weather held us off and the crop was properly dying, about 20% of cobs hanging down and a lot of brown stalks DM 35%-37%.

Want it a bit wetter 32%? but struggling to know when that is!

 

[Beef farmer]

Last year weather held us off and the crop was properly dying, about 20% of cobs hanging down and a lot of brown stalks DM 35%-37%.

Want it a bit wetter 32%? but struggling to know when that is!

Monday morning

 

[vantage]

Last year weather held us off and the crop was properly dying, about 20% of cobs hanging down and a lot of brown stalks DM 35%-37%.

Want it a bit wetter 32%? but struggling to know when that is!

Where’s @ollie989898 when you need him?

 

[Dead Rabbits]

Last year weather held us off and the crop was properly dying, about 20% of cobs hanging down and a lot of brown stalks DM 35%-37%.

Want it a bit wetter 32%? but struggling to know when that is!

We got an old branch chipper and run plants through it. Then use a koster tester to determine DM. Gets you very close

 

[ollie989898]

Where’s @ollie989898 when you need him?

You're all looking at the wrong part of the plant in my view but hey ho.

 

[Ian01]

I would estimate that at 30% dm

 

[stablegirl]

You're all looking at the wrong part of the plant in my view but hey ho.

Come on ollie dont make us beg!

 

[Durry cows]

My 2p worth is everyone has different ideas and the latest trend past couple of years has been “take it green cos half the feed value is in the plant” I don’t agree with this let it dry down as much as possible til the cob is rock hard. You want the chopper on its knees chopping the stuff as the rock hard grain goes through the mill. This is ideal if it’s fed with multi cut silage to ‘bind’ them up a bit this way cows look lovely and fit/clean all winter and milk like stink...

 

[Jdunn55]

Last year weather held us off and the crop was properly dying, about 20% of cobs hanging down and a lot of brown stalks DM 35%-37%.

Want it a bit wetter 32%? but struggling to know when that is!

When was your maize planted please? Under plastic or no? Thanks

 

[ollie989898]

Come on ollie dont make us beg!

Take a photo so I can see the bottom half of the stems.

If the leaves are starting to turn and dry down that is a strong sign it's starting to senescence.

Bend the stem over about 12 inches off the ground and twist to see how much juice comes out. A lot of crops I have driven by today are still green as green.

 

[ollie989898]

My 2p worth is everyone has different ideas and the latest trend past couple of years has been “take it green cos half the feed value is in the plant” I don’t agree with this let it dry down as much as possible til the cob is rock hard. You want the chopper on its knees chopping the stuff as the rock hard grain goes through the mill. This is ideal if it’s fed with multi cut silage to ‘bind’ them up a bit this way cows look lovely and fit/clean all winter and milk like stink...

I will never know who started the nonsense about 'stay green maize' but I've always believed that maize wanted to be 35% DM as a minimum as the amount of simple carbohydrates in it mean a wet crop will turn very very acidic and a diet high in maize silage can't possibly be doing the cows as much good as a drier crop that is less acid and stays inside the cow longer. As you say, good protein laden grass and the cows will go like stink and be better for it, too.

 

[More to life]

I will never know who started the nonsense about 'stay green maize' but I've always believed that maize wanted to be 35% DM as a minimum as the amount of simple carbohydrates in it mean a wet crop will turn very very acidic and a diet high in maize silage can't possibly be doing the cows as much good as a drier crop that is less acid and stays inside the cow longer. As you say, good protein laden grass and the cows will go like stink and be better for it, too.

Whilst 35% dm is desirable,digestibility of all forages is key to producing milk.

 

[Werzle]

Theres seems to be an abundance of maize about and for sale, i reckon a fair bit will get cut 2ft off the ground

 

[Beef farmer]

Theres seems to be an abundance of maize about and for sale, i reckon a fair bit will get cut 2ft off the ground

Why? Can't beat full clamps

 

[Werzle]

Why? Can't beat full clamps

Tons of last years still in them and AD plants only need so much