Maize

The characteristics of a maize variety influence the feeding of dairy cattle. Read this article to find out what you need to bear in mind. 

By 2021, organic maize production in Germany will amount to 38,000 ha and will continue to grow in importance. In this context, there is growing interest in reduced tillage and direct seeding methods. The University of Kassel-Witzenhausen has coordinated a joint project to test different methods.

Originally, you should read an essay regarding grain maize’s economic viability on this page. Concerning the volatile pricing of energy, raw materials, and goods, it would be like looking into a crystal ball. Therefore, this essay focuses on important opportunities for farmers to regulate maize yields and profitability through variety selection and cultivation techniques.

The production of locally grown and high-quality forage for a healthy animal feed from sustainable sources is becoming increasingly important for many farmers and consumers. As milk producers must strike a balance between achieving these goals and maintaining their productivity, the following article explores how this can be achieved by selecting the proper maize variety.

Farmers who farm land in water protection areas must reduce their nitrogen inputs by 20% and therefore have to plan their fertilising schemes carefully. The question is whether maize can cope with lower N inputs or whether there are other ways of supplying the plants with the nutrient? The following article presents various approaches.

With the revised German Fertiliser Ordinance restricting the use of fertilisers containing nitrogen and phosphorus, we are urged to use these fertilisers as efficiently as possible. One established means of improving fertiliser efficiency in many crops is to apply ‘starter fertilisers’. These granular fertilisers are placed in the furrow under the seed, making nutrients immediately available to it as it germinates.

Felix Tönsfeuerborn is a true professional when it comes to dairy farming. With his 500-head dairy herd producing an average yield of approx. 11,000 kg of milk per cow per year, he runs one of the top farms in the German federal state North Rhine Westphalia. He understands that only healthy cows are able to perform at this level, which is why he is always on the lookout for innovative ideas and technological improvements. During a study trip to the USA, he came across long-chop maize silage and decided to try it for himself in Germany.

As it always has been, successful milk production is based on the staple food, since feed costs represent about 50% of the entire costs of milk production. This becomes clear especially in years with low milk prices. In this area it makes sense to optimise operating procedures and to increase the staple feed performance. Every year the industry analyses of the various state control associations show that the most successful businesses often have a high proportion of maize in the ration and the lowest staple feed costs. Even the choice of species of maize may make a decisive contribution here. Species, which are identified with the mark, „Milk Index“ stand for a particularly high quality of feed.