Using maize silage to reduce risk

Dairy farmers who use maize silage will know of its value during the summer months. Over the years it’s proven to be an essential supplementary feed when conditions are dry, so it’s worth looking at some of the reasons why maize silage plays an important part on farm in the lead-up to summer.

Grow more feed per hectare

Typically yielding somewhere between 18-24 tDM/ha, maize silage is one of the best crops for increasing the total amount of feed grown on farm. Even in extremely dry conditions, maize yields can reach double that of annual pasture yields. Research conducted in the early 2000s showed that maize silage and a subsequent winter crop (e.g. oats or Italian ryegrass) yielded more than 30 tDM/ha/year in an area that typically grew 15 tDM/ha/year of pasture1. Many farmers use maize silage to renew parts of their farms that are underperforming. Research shows there can be up to 100% difference in yield between the best-performing and worst-performing paddocks on a farm2. Using maize to renew pasture results in more total drymatter grown in the short term through cropping and more pasture grown per hectare in the long term by introducing new pasture species.

Better manage pasture

Because it’s a forage, maize silage can be used to help manage pasture. By following these simple rules, you can prevent overgrazing, protect your pasture and boost future growth:

Rule 1: If your post-grazing residuals are falling below 1500-1600 kgDM/ha, feed more maize silage.

Rule 2: If your grazing residuals begin to lift above 1800 kgDM/ha, feed less maize silage.

Rule 3: If you don’t need it, don’t feed it… keep it in the stack.

The substitution that happens when feeding a forage like maize silage can be used to great effect when pasture growth rates begin to slow down. When you feed maize silage, you’re leaving more pasture behind, which means you can protect pasture from being over-grazed and build cover, giving your grass a chance to recover and thrive. When animals need to be stood off pasture to reduce damage from pugging or overgrazing, they can be fed maize silage on a feedpad.

Insurance against issues associated with drought

If you have a stack of maize silage on hand, you’re likely to fare better through the summer dry. Farmers without feed may struggle to keep cows in milk, while those who use PKE to fill feed gaps may struggle to stay out of the C and D range of the FEI. In addition, farmers without a stack of silage may have to buy extra feed on the spot market at a higher price. Having a stack of maize silage on hand is a great risk management strategy to help cope with the dry. The beauty of maize silage is that if you get a summer where pasture growth is good and you don’t need to feed it, it can remain in the stack until needed.

If you’re a farmer already benefitting from maize silage, these are important points to remember. If you’re not and are interested in growing maize silage, contact your local Pioneer representative.

Ensuring you have maize silage on hand will help weather whatever summer throws your way.

References

1. Densley et al, 2006. Maize silage and winter cropping options to maximise drymatter and energy for NZ dairy systems. Proceedings of the NZ Grasslands Association 68:193-197
2. Clark et al 2010. Inter-paddock annual drymatter yield variability from dairy farms in the Waikato Region of New Zealand.  New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 53:187-191.