Jonathan Evans is the third generation of the family to milk cows at Berry Hill Farm, near Newport in Pembrokeshire, where he farms with his grandparents Hayden and Dilys, his father Mark and Uncle, Colin. The farm is 154ha of owned and rented land, right on the coast.

They run a herd of 220 all year-round calving cows with typically 185 cows in milk. They are 85% pedigree Holsteins with 15% crossbreds.  They are currently averaging 8150 litres. It is a relatively young herd as a large number of cows were sold in 2019, and yields are increasing as the herd matures.

The farm is also carrying 250 youngstock as it is under TB restrictions. Heifers calve down at 21-25 months old.

The herd grazes for as long as conditions allow, usually from late April until mid-October. Being mainly sandy loams and so close to the sea, the farm is prone to drying out so summer grass growth can be an issue. In the winter, the cows are currently housed as a single milking group, but a new building is due to be available from February. This will allow cows to be housed in two groups of open, higher yielders and in calf, low yielders.

Winter feeding had been based on multicut grass silage and some wholecrop, but in 2021 they made the move back into maize.

“We had grown maize about eight years ago,” Jonathan comments. “We had grown some good crops but had problems with badger damage. However, we decided to give it another go, in particular as we wanted to try and improve milk quality which is important in our Glanbia contract.

“We decided to grow 32 hectares. We wanted early maturing varieties as we needed the crop available to feed as soon as possible, but also as this would allow us to follow up with either a grass ley or forage rye.”

They decided on two varieties, including LG’s Gema which was chosen in discussion with Wynnstay agronomist Lawrence Cozens, who explains that agronomically, Gema would fit the bill and he had grown it successfully previously in the area.

“Gema is an ultra-early maturing variety (FAO 150) with a shorter growing season and good early vigour, making it ideal for a short season rotation,” Mr Cozens explains. “It delivers high dry matter yields and is capable of producing a high starch forage, which is what Jonathan was looking for.

“It was particularly important to be able to drill successor crops and to avoid having bare soils which can lead to increased compaction, soil run-off and nutrient loss.”

The maize land received a significant amount of slurry and manure before ploughing. All the maize was drilled in late April after first cut grass and having waited for soils to reach the optimum 8°C at drilling depth. Fertiliser was applied to the seedbed and a pre-emergence herbicide was used with a follow-up spray based on specific problems.

Mr Cozens comments that the Gema got away particularly quickly as a result of delaying drilling and established strong plants quickly. He had planned to use a foliar fungicide, biostimulant and foliar plant nutrients at tussling, but the feeling was that the Gema had got too tall.

Throughout the growing season, Jonathan Evans commented that the Gema was ahead of the other variety and when ready to harvest, was standing 3 metres high and with large cobs.

“We harvested in late September as soon as the crop was ready because we had a good harvest window. We could possibly have left it a bit longer as the plant was still quite green, but this was not a problem. Harvesting early also meant we could sow 12ha of forage rye for dry cow feed.

“On average, we yielded at 42t/ha with the Gema yielding highest at 44t/ha. The analysis has been good at 33.2% dry matter, 32% starch, 83.7% starch degradability and 11.4MJ ME. We started feeding the day after harvest and began to see improvements immediately.”

Diets at the farm are developed by Wynnstay Head of Dairy Services David Howard who says adding maize silage has had significant benefits to performance. He comments that it has helped make better use of this winter’s grass silages which have generally been variable and below average quality.

“Feeding two forages can help increase total forage dry matter intakes and better balance the grass,” he comments. “But the biggest benefit has been in helping boost milk quality, particularly protein.

“The energy content and the bypass starch have helped drive rumen fermentation and we saw an increase in milk quality as soon as the maize was introduced.”

“The base ration comprises of 25kg first cut silage, 20kg maize silage, 1.0kg of a sugar-based molasses, 0.75kg chopped straw and 3kg of a balancer blend. The cows are then fed to yield in the parlour with an 18% high energy nut.

In September milk quality was running at 4.0% fat and 3.15% protein. In early October it has increased to 4.49% and 3.3% respectively and averaged 4.58% and 3.33% for the month. In November the averages were 4.55% fat and 3.42% protein.  In total the increased milk quality is worth around 1ppl extra milk price. Milk urea has fallen from 0.028% to 0.024% indicating better protein utilisation in the diet.

Milk yields have also risen. The herd is now averaging 29.8 litres compared to 26.0 litres in September, with cows less than 150 days in milk averaging 34 litres.

“Maize will also make an excellent buffer feed when cows are grazing, with the starch helping to complement the high protein in spring grass,” Mr Howard continues.

Based on the improved performance, Jonathan Evans is keen to grow more maize in 2022. He is planning to grow 49 hectares and at least 75% of the crop will be Gema.

He says maize is clearly an excellent feed and is definitely having an economic impact. In addition to the milk quality increases resulting in a better milk price, purchased feed costs per litre have come back from 9.3ppl to 6.3ppl.

He comments that maize is less weather dependent that grass, particularly on a coastal farm.There are fewer variables affecting how it performs, and he can be confident of at least 37t/ha of a high energy and consistent feed to use as the base for diets.

“With substantially higher fertiliser prices, maize has the added benefit of being a lower user of bagged fertiliser than grass and it is all applied early in the season when uptake is greater and not affected by fields drying out.

“I hope to grow enough to feed the cows through the winter and also for buffer feeding. If possible, I would like to feed some maize to youngstock,” he adds.

The combination of a disrupted drilling season, resulting in many later established crops and a cool month for much of August, means maize crops are maturing at different rates and Mr Richmond stresses the need to assess crops closely.

“Just because crops look good in the field does not mean they are ready to harvest,” he comments. “Walking crops in the last few weeks we have seen delayed cob development and also crops with a very high proportion of vegetative material. The only way to reliably assess fitness for harvest is to walk crops and assess both dry matter and cob development.”

He says maize should be harvested when the crop combines optimal starch content of 30-35% with only limited leaf die back, so maintaining high digestibility in the vegetative part of the plant. At the same time, the crop must have sufficient moisture to allow effective compaction in the clamp. Harvesting a crop too soon will result in sub-optimal starch content, as sugars will not have been converted into starch.

Mr Richmond advises walking well into the crop and looking at plants in several locations. To assess the maturity of the vegetative material he advises looking at the flow of juice from the stem, targeting to harvest when very little or no juice emerges as the stem is twisted, and when the leaves level with the cob are just beginning to turn brown. To assess the grains for harvest readiness, cobs should be broken in half and the position of the milk line assessed.

“To help farmers accurately determine if the crop if ready to harvest, the LG Maize Manager App, which is free to download, includes a Harvest Manager section. This provides an easy to use, step-by-step guide to crop assessment and predicts how far the crop is off harvest.

“Relying on careful assessment will ensure farmers enter the winter with the best quality maize silage to act as the foundation for winter rations,” Mr Richmond comments.

The Maize Manager App is available on the Apple or Google Play stores, or at www.maizemanager.com

Watch below to see how the app can help you!

Across the country, farmers faced challenging conditions to get maize established but the focus now has to turn quickly to ensuring a successful harvest to ensure a quality feed to compliment variable grass silage.

Simon Pope from Wynnstay comments that he can not remember a season in recent years where the average drilling date was so late.  “We saw very little maize drilled in late April as it was cold and dry while most of May was cold and wet.  The main drilling window became late May and early June.

“Across Wales and the West Midlands crops are beginning to catch up but a lot will depend on the weather from now on and how rapidly the Ontario Heat Units that drive maturity accumulate.

“One of the stand-out varieties for early vigour and rapid establishment under difficult conditions has been LG Gema. In a shortened growing season high-performing, very early varieties such as Gema really come into their own.”

Agrii National Forage Product Manager Ben Lowe says late sown maize has got going very well and in many cases is further advanced than earlier drilled crops where the seed took a while to get going.  Many crops are looking better than crops sown in late April in a typical year.

“This is largely because later drilled crops were actually sown in optimum conditions with warm soils and adequate moisture and I hope growers remember this in future seasons and throw away the calendar and instead take decisions based on the conditions.”

He suggests there is little if any point establishing crops in poor conditions, and it is always better to wait.  That said you need to choose the appropriate variety.  Drilling late and still harvesting at the normal time truncates the growing season and makes the choice of early maturing varieties essential.

A late drilled late maturing variety may struggle to mature with the consequence of harvesting too soon or having to delay harvest and risk poor conditions

Resolute Maize

“LG Resolute for example is an excellent early maturing variety which has outstanding early vigour to get away quickly.  But it is also the highest on the NIAB/BSPB list for dry matter and ME yield making it an excellent candidate for delaying drilling to ensure optimum conditions.”

Richard Camplin, LG Technical Manager is responsible for the company’s network of trial plots and agrees it might be time to rethink maize planning.  He says the trial plots had to be drilled later this year with the latest plots at the Bangor site in North Wales only drilled at the end of May.

“Going in late, the tilth was good, and soil was warm.  We drilled the seed shallower, and we saw emergence after just six days, and these are now probably the strongest plots we have.  It is about planning for the conditions.

“Later drilled crops has caught up quickly and also have higher plant populations.  We have not lost out and earlier varieties lime Saxon, Dignity and Prospect are looking good with the ability to allow an early harvest,”

He comments earlier drilled crops had higher field losses and poorer plant populations and we have had reports of this from across the country.  Seed was drilled deeper in cold soils and struggled to get away.  This is not to say these crops will not yield well as with fewer plants there will be less competition.

“The challenge now will be to gets crops harvested at the optimum time.  With variable grass silage reported across the country, dairy producers will be looking for a high-quality maize forage but also a feed that can be incorporated in diets quickly to complement the other forages.

“To achieve this will require a commitment to monitoring the crop and being flexible about harvest date rather than harvesting on a set date

He says maize should be harvested when the crop combines maximum starch content with only limited leaf die back so maintaining high digestibility in the vegetative part of the plant.  At the same time, the crop must have sufficient moisture to allow effective compaction in the clamp.  Harvesting a crop too soon will result in sub-optimal starch content, as sugars will not have been converted into starch.

Equally, delaying harvest will result in poorer digestibility of the vegetative part of the plant and reduce digestible fibre which is essential for rumen health.  He advises modern varieties stay green for longer and do not to go brown before being harvested.

“Harvesting date is not a direct function of drilling date but is influenced by OHU accumulation in the growing season with early maturing varieties requiring fewer units.  It is entirely likely that an early maturing variety drilled late could be ready for harvest sooner than expected.

“We regularly run NIRS clinics at markets, allowing farmers to bring plants to assess maturity and fitness for harvest.  Whilst in most years a significant proportion of plants are more mature than the grower expected, this may not be the case this year.  However, to avoid issues from harvesting at the wrong stage we would still urge farmers to start monitoring crop sooner than later.”

Mr Camplin recommends starting to walk the crop from mid to late August to assess maturity and fitness to harvest, to prevent crops going over.  He advises walking well into the crop and looking at plants in several locations.  Never evaluate plants on the field margins.

He says that modern varieties often remain green to maturity, and it is a misunderstanding that maize needs to be dead before harvesting.  The target range for an optimum crop is 32-35% dry matter.  At dry matter levels higher than this, palatability and intakes can be reduced, digestibility will be compromised, and the crop may prove difficult to consolidate, increasing the risk of aerobic spoilage.

“Crops typically dry down at 2% per week so, it is important to start measuring dry matter and assessing maturity, so you aren’t caught out.”

To assess the maturity of the vegetative material he advises looking at the flow of juice from the stem.  “Look to harvest when no juice emerges as the stem is twisted, and when the leaves level with the cob are just beginning to turn brown.

Then assess the grains using the thumb nail test.  The grains at the top of the cob should be like soft cheese, the ones at the bottom should be like hard cheese and the ones in the middle should be soft enough to leave the imprint of a thumbnail on.

He suggests farmers download the LG Maize Manager App onto their phones.  The Harvest Manager module assesses the condition of the crop and advises on target harvest date to ensure the crop is cut at the optimum dry matter to maximise feed values and fermentation quality.

Based on the dry matter of the cob and of the stem, the app will determine if the crop is ready for harvest and recommend a cutting date.  If harvest is not imminent the app uses postcode related weather data to predict when the crop will be suitable for harvest.

“By walking the crop and assessing the state of maturity and the rate at which dry matter is increasing, you increase the prospects of harvesting the crop at the optimum stage to maximise the production of high-quality forage,” Mr Camplin points out.  “The app will then improve the precision of harvest timing, helping maximise the value of the crop they have grown and reduce the risk of incorrect harvest date on silage quality.”

Download the FREE Maize Manager App and see how it can help you!

A few changes to establishment could help ensure a more successful late sown crop.

Modern varieties typically require 150 growing days, and are normally sown on 1^st May, giving a harvest on 1^st October.

Trials conducted by LG examined the effect of sowing maize at weekly intervals throughout May and then harvesting at weekly intervals from end of September until the end of October.

On average, there was a dry matter loss of 5% per week as a consequence of late drilling and a 1.8% per week decline in dry matter content.  So it will be important to take steps to reduce any potential impact.

Step 1                 

If possible, swap to an earlier maturing variety, (maturity class 8 -10) preferably around 40 FAO points lower than a usual variety for the farm

Step 2                 

If not possible to change to an earlier variety, then reduce seed rate by at least 5% to give each plant more space and access to more resources to mature

Step 3                 

Sow shallower (2-3cm depending on soil type) as soils will be warm enough with adequate moisture to allow plants to get away strongly

Step 4                

Consider nitrogen applications – too much nitrogen will delay maturity

Fine tuning maize establishment will still allow late sown crops to deliver good yields of a high quality feed to help offset any shortfall in winter feed stocks. Make sure all the bases are covered, act on soil sample results, watch for trace element deficiency etc.

Remember, your late sown crop may not be far behind early sown crops into cold wet seed beds.

For more information on any LG maize variety, or to check the FAO rating, click here to go to our maize product page.

Growing a crop like maize and leaving the field fallow for at least six months is like having an empty factory for half a year. And that’s before considering the environmental impact, from soil run off and the loss of nutrients from the soil, when maize fields are left fallow.

“So combining maize with another crop, like grass, to increase its output, while helping to retain soil and nutrients, aid drainage and improve soil structure makes good sense,” says Limagrain’s forage crop manager John Spence.

“But we have to be careful that maize yields are not compromised by the grass. And additional cultivations and passes across the field must be efficient and cost-effective.”

There are some possible options that can support maize crops while increasing land productivity and avoiding environmental issues.

Three include: drilling maize and grass at the same time, with the grass spaced in rows that are at least 15cm away from the maize; drilling grass into the maize crop once the maize has reached the six-leaf stage, after about six weeks; or follow maize with a forage rye, grass reseed or a winter cereal crop.

The first, drilling maize and grass at the same time, is preferable, according to South Staffs Water (SSW) senior catchment adviser Nina Yiannoukos-Benton. “Because this minimises the number of passes and helps to protect soil structure and nutrient retention.

“Some producers may be concerned that the grass could compete and compromise maize yield, but in the trials we’ve carried out on commercial dairy units, they’ve actually seen increased crop performance.

“The grass ‘stays in its lane’, so to speak, only spreading once the maize has been harvested and providing a good cover crop for winter.”

Mr Spence says it’s key, if this is the chosen option, to select early maturing maize varieties and slow growing (low yielding) grass seed mixtures to avoid grass competing with the maize in the early growth stage.

Limagrain has been working with SSW on developing a mixture that creates a ‘carpet’ effect, but is also palatable.

And maize varieties with good early vigour that are typically harvested by late September/early October, gives grass the chance to grow, take up nutrients, and develop a good root system to ‘bind’ the soil.

Mrs Yiannoukos-Benton prefers undersowing the grass at the same time as the maize. “Because multiple passes can create soil compaction issues.
But, drilling once the maize is established is an option if producers are concerned about maize yields, and it also enables higher yielding grass varieties to be grown, if that’s their preference.”

This option relies on good sowing conditions for grass. And again, early maturing maize varieties are ideal so there’s still enough warmth and light for some grass growth once the maize is harvested, ensuring the ‘companion’ crop can play its environmental role and provide a green cover.

Success really depends on the grass mixture drilled alongside the maize.

“It can’t compete with, or comprise, the maize crop. And it also needs to be a valuable feed in its own right – offering some late-season grazing for dry cows and young stock, or even milkers,” adds Mr Spence.

So grass mixture choice is crucial. “It has to quickly establish and grow in the dry environment caused by the maize crop. But it’s a fine line – too fast and it will compete with the maize crop, resulting in yield loss.”

For sowing at the same time as maize he recommends a high proportion of amenity-type tall fescues in the grass mixture, to provide some drought tolerance and the ability to survive well when sown at the same time as the maize.

For sowing at the six leaf stage he suggests a proportion of tall fescue type festuloliums (a cross between tall fescue and Italian Ryegrass) and Matrix (a meadow fescue type festulolium).

“But make sure seed rates are not too high. Good agronomy advice and careful drilling – with the correct equipment – is key.”

Grant schemes
There are environmental schemes to encourage producers to consider a second crop to reduce pollution from maize land.

Countryside Stewardship SW5 is an option, with payments of £133/hectare for mid and higher tiers. Applicants must satisfy criteria that stipulate harvesting maize by October 1 and establishing a quick-growing cover crop, by October 15, which will provide a dense cover and protect the land from soil erosion.

SSW has a grant scheme for producers in its high-risk catchment areas and offers £150/hectare towards the cost of growing maize that’s undersown with grass.

The grants are available under its SPRING environmental protection scheme, set up to help producers reduce soil run off and pollution.

One Staffordshire-based dairying couple has been trialling maize undersown with grass for the past two years and are about to start their third year in the scheme.

Becky and Trevor Mycock grow 90 hectares of maize to feed their 400-cow herd and 48 hectares of it was undersown with a grass mixture in 2020.

“Local contractor Rob Moore used an adapted drill – a prototype that’s been developed in conjunction with SSW – that sows both crops at once. This removes the need for additional cultivations, which reduces the risk of compaction and other soil structure and fertility issues,” says Mrs Mycock.

The couple grew 60 hectares of maize in 2019, the first year they took part in the SSW trials, and a third of it was undersown with grass, using a Pottinger maize drill that is owned by another local contractor.

“Our biggest concern was whether the grass would reduce maize yield. But our big gamble paid off. We actually saw more maize freshweight yield per hectare from the undersown fields,” she adds.

“And forage quality was unaffected. We were also able to graze some dry cows and young stock on the maize ‘aftermath’ and the grass also provided a good cover crop during the winter between maize crops.”

The Mycocks grow a mixture of early and later maturing maize varieties. “Both have done well. And we’re also looking at trialling a different grass mixture this year – one developed in conjunction with Limagrain – that should improve the palatability of the sward.”

During the past two years they have seen good establishment of both the maize and the grass, even though the seasons have been wetter than usual. “We have also seen some excellent maize yield results.”

Mrs Mycock adds that, typically, the maize freshweight yield is five tonnes per hectare higher for the undersown crops – averaging 42t/hectare compared to 37t/hectare for straight maize. “Our experience certainly allayed any concerns that the grass could compromise maize growth and development,” she says.

Maize has a reputation for being environmentally damaging. “But we recognise that it is an essential part of many producers’ dairy production system,” says Mrs Yiannoukos-Benton.

“So we looked at a way to undersow the maize with grass to offer green cover during the winter. This is when land is at high risk from nutrient and sediment losses to watercourses and, with this dual-sowing approach, we have reduced losses dramatically.”

Other producer who are also involved in trials reported that harvesting the maize crop is also easier and ‘cleaner’. “The grass acts like a carpet, keeping mud to a minimum and allowing access to what may otherwise be inaccessible fields,” adds Mrs Mycock. “I can honestly say that without the undersown grass we may not have been able to harvest a lot of our maize in 2019, because it was just too wet.”

“If that’s not an incentive to give it a go, particularly after the exceptionally wet autumns of 2019 and 2020, I don’t know what is.”

“Ensuring a high yield of an energy rich crop which matures quickly, to ensure harvesting in good conditions and to allow a successor crop to be established is the goal of modern maize production,” he comments.

Brian Copestake – UK Sales Manager

“With modern early maturing varieties, there is less of a trade-off between maturity date and yield so there is no reason why high yielding, high quality crops cannot be achieved by mid-September in most maize growing areas.”

Mr Copestake stresses the importance of field choice and seed bed preparation in minimising risk. He says if a crop is able to get away quickly and strongly then the chances of success are greatly increased.

“The most important thing is to ensure good seed to soil contact with adequate moisture, to ensure rapid root development and a good supply of nutrients to the young plant.”

To preserve moisture and maximise seed to soil contact, seedbed preparation should be left until soon before drilling. The top 5cm needs to be worked to a fine tilth. Drilling should not take place until the soil temperature is at least 8°C and then sow to a depth where the seed is in contact with moisture, between 3-8cm depth depending on soil type.

“If the field conditions will not be right then question if the crop should be drilled at all, as the risk of a poor crop will be increased. This is another place where early maturing varieties can help reduce risk. As they require fewer Ontario Heat Units (OHU) to mature and a shorter growing season, it may be an option to delay drilling to ensure a better seedbed.

“Advances in genetic selection also mean it is now easier to select early maturing varieties for a timely harvest helping ensure well-fermented high quality forage is available to use sooner, whether for feeding livestock or for use in AD plants.

“The starting point has to be selecting a variety suited to the average OHU accumulated at your location,” he says. “Many new varieties like Resolute and Conclusion will produce high yields of a top-quality feed while also maturing sooner. Having shortlisted varieties which will grow well at your location, it is important to consider early vigour as you want a crop which will germinate quickly.

“Then look at the production potential as there are considerable ranges in dry matter yield and energy content, thanks in no small part, to breeding varieties with improved cell wall digestibility (CWD) which improves the access to the 50% of the crop’s total energy which is found in the vegetative parts of the plant.

“For example, Resolute is FAO 190 and a first-choice variety on this year’s BSPB/NIAB list.  The combination of high starch and CWD mean it produces 214,591MJ/ha, which is 7% more than average and give a superior return on investment combined with early harvesting. The extra energy would be worth £774/ha in increased milk production.”

Mr Copestake also stresses the need for effective seed treatments, commenting that most farmers opted for a bird repellent with Mesurol (methiocarb) the market leader. Since Mesurol was banned in 2020 Korit (Zirame) has stepped up as the replacement.

“A single action seed treatment has severe limitations so new developments have focussed on seed treatments with more than one mode of action to ensure a return on investment by also ensuring faster germinating and more robust crops.”

Korit^® Pro combines three different modes of action. Alongside the bird repellent properties of Zirame, it contains a fungicide to protect the young plant from Rhizoctonia, which causes stem and root rot.

“By also adding Sedaxane to Korit^® Pro, plants are protected from infection and have improved root development, helping them get away strongly. The addition of manganese and zinc not only improves root development and stem elongation but also increases photosynthesis activity.

“The combination of careful variety selection, seed treatment choice and attention to detail on field choice and seed bed preparation can help reduce the risks associated with maize growing and ensure top-quality forage harvested in optimum conditions,” Mr Copestake concludes.

You need to choose a variety which:

• Matures at the optimum time for your farm to ensure you can harvest in good conditions avoiding the risk of a late harvest and ensuring maize can be included in the diet soon
• Combines high dry matter yields with excellent starch content and high cell wall digestibility to maximise feed energy values and the milk production potential of your crop
• Allows high intakes of quality forage to cut feed bills

With so many factors to consider, how do you make sure you choose the right variety to optimise return on investment on your farm?

By downloading the LG Maize Manager app, you can make it easy to make the best decision for your farm.

Drawing from extensive UK trials data, the Feed Manager section lets you compare individual varieties for their energy output and milk production potential.

Choosing the best variety over an average option could save over £300/ha in purchased feed costs.

Download the app and see the savings you could be making!