Maize silage is ideal for increasing productivity by filling feed deficits, especially in early lactation and reducing the risk of metabolic diseases when fed as part of a balanced diet with appropriate minerals. It can also extend lactation, allowing for more days in milk, and maintain milk quality by providing a perfect balance of fibre and carbohydrates to complement pasture.
Pasture yields on farms are stable or even decreasing and some farmers are having challenges with pasture persistence. As the climate becomes warmer, C3 grasses such as perennial ryegrass become less competitive while C4 grasses such as maize, paspalum, and kikuyu are likely to perform better.
Feed budgeting is fundamental to successful dairy farming but even farmers who monitor pasture cover levels and run an up-to-date feed budget can run short of feed. A key reason is that feed budgets use average pasture growth rates, and around 50% of the time, actual pasture growth rates will be below average. Growing a bit of extra maize or buying it in means farmers will have a stack on hand to feed when needed. And the good thing about maize silage is that provided it is well compacted and sealed, it will hold its quality for several seasons.
Feeding maize silage can help with pasture management. When considered as part of the wider feed budget, maize silage can prevent under or overgrazing and keep the pasture in the most active phase of its growth curve.
Maize silage can also maintain animal health, helping to reduce the incidence of milk fever when fed during transition prior to calving. It enables cows to be stood off paddocks and fed when there is a danger of either pugging or over grazing.
Feeding maize silage creates pasture substitution, which is beneficial at crucial times of the year when pasture is short and round length needs to be lengthened. Feeding maize silage at the end of lactation means more days in milk and better cow condition during subsequent calving. Having maize silage on hand for the times of the year when the season doesn’t go as expected makes great sense.
Maize has the benefit of reducing nitrogen leaching. Its deep-rooting structure can remove excessive soil nutrients that have dropped out of the root zone of shallow-rooted pasture species. Feeding maize silage in conjunction with pasture or as a substitute for high-N supplements can also reduce urinary nitrogen levels, reducing the risk of loss into groundwater. The maize plant also has greater water-use efficiency, producing more dry matter from every drop of water it receives when compared with pasture.
Maize silage can be a great tool to maximise farm profitability. It can increase feed production per hectare, and when good yields are achieved it can improve the cost per kgDM fed and increase profitability.
To learn more about how maize silage can benefit your farm system, contact your local Farm Source TSR or Pioneer Area Manager.