Why Grow Maize for Silage? A Practical Guide for Irish Farmers
For many Irish dairy and beef farmers, grass silage remains at the heart of the winter feeding programme. But maize silage can offer another useful source of home grown energy, particularly where the right land and growing conditions are available.
Maize has been grown for silage in Ireland for many years, with around 80% of Irish maize production being grown specifically for this purpose. When grown on a suitable site and harvested at the right stage, it can provide a high yielding, energy rich feed that complements grass silage in the ration.
So, what makes maize worth considering, and what do you need to think about from drilling right through to harvesting and baling?
Why include maize in the silage plan?
The biggest attraction of maize is its combination of yield, starch and energy.
Maize silage can complement grass silage by providing a highly palatable source of energy and starch. It can be particularly useful in dairy and beef systems where farmers are looking to produce more feed on farm and make good use of available land.
It can also provide some useful flexibility in a forage system. Rather than relying entirely on grass silage, maize gives you another crop with different characteristics and a different harvest window.
Teagasc highlights maize as a high yielding crop with good dry matter and starch production, while noting that choosing the right site and variety is particularly important in the Irish climate.
There are other potential benefits too. Maize can fit well into a crop rotation and can make good use of organic manures such as slurry, provided soil fertility and nutrient requirements are properly managed.
Of course, maize isn’t right for every farm or every field. Site selection is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.
Choosing the right field
A sheltered, south facing field is generally preferable, particularly in areas where temperatures and growing conditions can be more challenging. Poorly drained, compacted or exposed sites are less likely to deliver the results you’re looking for.
Teagasc recommends selecting sites based on geographical region and local topography, with south facing sites preferred. Soil temperature is also critical for establishment.
Before drilling, check your soil analysis and make sure pH and nutrient levels are where they need to be. Maize has relatively high nutrient requirements, so deficiencies can quickly affect crop establishment and yield.
Good soil structure matters too. Compaction can restrict root development and reduce the crop’s ability to access water and nutrients.
In short, don’t just ask whether you have a field available for maize. Ask whether you have the right field for maize.
Getting the crop established
Maize needs warm soil to germinate and establish properly.
As a general guide, Teagasc recommends sowing once soil temperatures are above around 8°C. In Ireland, open sown maize is generally drilled from around mid April onwards, while crops grown under polythene can be established earlier because the cover raises soil temperature.
The exact timing will depend on your location, soil conditions and the variety being grown.
Variety selection is also important. Early maturity can be particularly valuable where the growing season is shorter or harvesting conditions are more challenging. Look for a variety that suits your farm rather than simply choosing one based on headline yield.
The aim is to establish the crop early enough to make the most of the growing season while still ensuring soil conditions are suitable for drilling.
Feed the crop, not just the field
A strong maize crop starts with good nutrition.
Nitrogen is important for growth and yield, while phosphorus and potassium are particularly important for root development and overall crop performance. Sulphur, magnesium and trace elements may also need consideration depending on your soil analysis.
Organic manures can be a useful source of nutrients for maize. Teagasc notes that maize has the ability to make good use of slurry, with application and incorporation before sowing forming part of a well managed nutrient programme.
The key is to base your fertiliser programme on soil analysis rather than applying nutrients simply because maize is considered a hungry crop.
And don’t overlook weed control. Maize competes poorly with weeds during its early development, so getting weed management right can make a significant difference to crop establishment and final yield.
When is maize ready to harvest?
Getting harvest timing right is one of the biggest decisions when producing maize silage.
Harvest too early and you may leave valuable starch and dry matter in the field. Leave it too long and you risk compromising harvest conditions, increasing the risk of difficult ground conditions and potentially affecting the quality of the finished silage.
A useful target is for the whole crop to be around 30% dry matter at harvest. Teagasc also highlights the importance of the cob being sufficiently mature, with at least half of the crop dry matter ideally present in the cob.
The familiar milk line test can also help give an indication of crop maturity. By examining the kernels on a representative selection of cobs, you can get a better idea of how the crop is progressing towards harvest.
However, don’t rely on one field check alone. Consider crop maturity, weather, soil conditions and the harvesting arrangements you have in place.
If you’re using a contractor, communication is particularly important. Everyone needs to be ready when the crop reaches the right stage rather than waiting until the weather forces the issue.
Harvesting for good quality silage
Once the crop is ready, harvesting needs to happen efficiently.
The maize should be chopped to an appropriate length and the kernels processed effectively so that the starch within the grain is available to the animal.
The aim is to get the crop harvested, conserved and sealed as quickly as practical. Once harvested, every hour that passes before the crop is properly ensiled creates another opportunity for losses.
Good consolidation and exclusion of oxygen are fundamental to successful fermentation, whether you’re putting maize into a pit or making round bales.
Making maize into round silage bales
For farms using a baler rather than a clamp, whole crop maize can also be made into round silage bales.
This brings the same basic principles of silage conservation into play: pack the crop tightly, exclude oxygen and create a reliable seal around the finished bale.
The quality of the wrapping system therefore matters just as much as the quality of the crop going into the bale.
A good stretchfilm needs to provide reliable coverage, strength and resistance to punctures and tears during wrapping, handling and storage. A damaged bale can allow oxygen into the forage and put the quality of the silage at risk.
Tama’s range of stretchfilm products is designed to help farmers and contractors produce well protected silage bales, giving the crop the protection it needs from the field through to feeding.
For round bales, it’s also important to get the bale shape right. A well formed bale makes it easier to achieve consistent film coverage and a good seal around the entire bale. Tama’s TamaNet+ Edge to Edge netwrap can also help provide full width bale coverage and reduce the risk of uncovered shoulders affecting the finished package.
Maize is only as good as the silage you make
Growing a good maize crop takes planning, but getting it into the feed trough in good condition is just as important.
The right field, variety, establishment, nutrition and harvest timing all play their part. So does the final conservation process.
Whether you’re putting maize into a clamp or producing wrapped round bales, the goal is the same: preserve as much of the crop’s nutritional value as possible and protect it until it’s ready to feed.
For farmers producing baled silage, that means paying close attention to bale density, shape, wrapping and storage. Every bale represents a significant amount of work and input, so it makes sense to protect it properly.
Need advice on baling and silage?
Maize production involves plenty of decisions, and no two farms are exactly the same.
If you’re looking for advice on baling, netwrap, stretchfilm or protecting the quality of your silage bales, Tama Assist can help.
Our team can provide practical advice on baling challenges and help you make the most of your equipment and baling products.
Because growing a good crop is only half the job. The real goal is getting as much of that crop’s value as possible into the feed trough.
Helping you get the most out of every bale
