This was one of the key messages from the Seedtech maize and fodder beet open day earlier this week.

Maize crops are particularly good this year as a result of the heat and sunshine throughout the summer. Cob size looks excellent and most varieties have very well filled cobs. Some of the earlier varieties under plastic already have drooping cobs, a sign that cob fill is complete. The good cob fill is also likely to increase the proportion of grain to stem plus leaf in the silage.

Varieties were sown both under plastic and without plastic. Virtually all of the varieties under plastic were ready, or past ready, for harvesting. Seedtech’s Kevin Cunningham said the Department had already harvested a number of its recommended list trials but only a small number of commercial crops have been cut.

Growers were urged to inspect their crops, especially those sown under plastic, as the cobs are often more mature than the crop appearance suggests.

Many of the varieties at the Seedtech trial site had grains between 25% and 30% moisture. And some of the varieties sown in the open were also fit for harvesting.

Where the intention is to plant maize in the same field again next year, the early harvest provides an opportunity to plant Westerwolds ryegrass to provide some additional winter grazing.

There was considerable discussion on quality and its many aspects in maize. Animal performance is the ultimate measure, and dry matter and starch content are far more important than plant height. Quality is also an issue in fodder beet where crops are often traded by weight but varieties can be up to 50% different in root dry matter content. And the higher the dry matter the higher the feeding value.