Farmers and contractors are preparing as the 2017 maize harvest kicks into gear.
Foragers have started to move in southerly reaches; growers in the midlands and north are getting ready to proceed with this year’s harvest.
Speaking last week, DuPont Pioneer’s Bill Mahanna had some timely advice for farmers preserving their maize silage crops over the coming days and weeks.
Mahanna, who spoke at Shines Agri open day on Friday (September 29), has seen maize silage pits of over 195,000t being pilled in a 25ha space. It’s safe to say that he knows all about the importance of good ensiling.
To ensure that silage is preserved properly, and to avoid spoilage, the pit should be covered in plastic. Film should be placed on the walls of the pit and a barrier should be positioned on the top of the wall to stop the plastic from ripping.
The top of the pit should also be covered with an oxygen barrier of 6mm plastic, he added.
Mahanna also gave an interesting insight into the differences in maize growing between Ireland and the US. He explained that higher yields and dry matter percentages in the US are because of the kernel structure and texture.
There is also a shorter maize growing season in the US; maize genetics are also different to the plants that we grow in Ireland.
Approximately 35,000 plants per acre establish in the US; that compares to 42,000 plants per acre in Ireland. However, maize yields are higher in the US.
Warmer conditions in the US allow for higher dry matter yields, he said. Maize crops in the US can increase dry matter by 1% every day, whereas this could take three-to-four days in Ireland.