Maximise the potential of maize this season

Dairy farmers are being encouraged to maximise the potential of this year’s maize crops to boost their home-grown forage stocks for the winter.

Following a difficult year for maize growing in 2024, Lientjie Colahan, forage technical support at Lallemand Animal Nutrition, is encouraging farmers to make the most of this year’s good growing conditions by paying close attention to crop nutrition and harvest timing.

“Crops seem to be growing relatively well in all areas of the country this year, which is in contrast to last year when the majority of farmers were struggling with their maize,” she says.

“To make the most out of this, I’d recommend doing everything you can to manage the crop proactively and maximise its potential.

“Good quality maize silage crops will play an important role in winter rations this year, especially against the backdrop of lower energy first-cut grass silages.”

Mrs Colahan advises speaking to your agronomist to discuss strategies, such as foliar nitrogen application that can be done at V10-V12 according to the Maize Growers Association (MGA), to ensure optimal growth.

“Depending on the variety you’re growing, an undersupply of nitrogen at key stages means your crop won’t reach its full potential and you’ll miss out on growth and quality,” she explains.

Thereafter, she recommends drawing up a harvest plan and being prepared to harvest earlier as soon as the plants are ready when the weather is good, rather than holding out for a higher starch level if the weather is looking variable.

“It looks as though most crops will be ready to harvest during the normal harvest period, which tends to be the end of August and beginning of September for an early maturing variety, and mid- to late-September for a late maturing one,” adds Mrs Colahan.

“Look at what the weather is likely to be like during those time periods, because it’s better to lose a little in starch and get the crop off in one day under good conditions, than holding out for 1% extra starch and ending up with a three-day long harvest in the rain.

“This has happened in previous years when it started raining and there was never a dry spell that was long enough for the field to dry out so that you could travel on it and get the crop in.”

Mrs Colahan also recommends familiarising yourself with the signs a crop is ready to harvest.

“Provided you’re not growing a stay-green variety, if the bottom two or three leaves are drying off and turning brown, then it’s generally close to being ready for harvest,” she explains.

“Also, as the plant matures, the starch forms in the milk line in the kernel, and as the sugar converts to starch in the plant, the line moves; as a general rule, if it’s a third of the way down the kernel, then the crop is ready to harvest.”

Lastly, Mrs Colahan advises using a crop- and condition-specific inoculant at harvest to boost aerobic stability and reduce mycotoxin risk in the silage.

“Trials at Lallemand’s Forage Centre of Excellence have shown that treating maize silage with an inoculant containing two crucial bacteria, Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 and Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM I-3785, reduced yeasts and moulds by 99.9%,” she explains.

“By managing crop nutrition, harvest timing, and using an appropriate inoculant, farmers can maximise the value of their crops in a promising year for maize. This will pay dividends in the winter, especially in a year when many grass silage crop yields are down.”