Check quality of maize silage, producers urged

摘要

Dairy producers are being urged to have maize silage analysed this winter because results show energy levels to be the poorest recorded this century. The wet summer and low hours of sunshine at critical growth stages hit quality and further delayed harvest, affecting feed values significantly, says Rachel Powers, ruminant specialist at Frank Wright Trouw Nutrition International. "Of the 660 silage samples analysed so far, ME is about 0.5MJ down, while starch is 6% lower than last year, despite dry matter being reasonably close to the average," she says. "In addition, the intake potential is lower than usual which, together with the energy levels, suggests maize inclusion may not give yields the usual lift."