Thursday, 16 June 2022 07:55

Grow another paddock

Written by  Ian Williams
It is times like these that the extra stack of silage or the extra paddock of maize silage prove to be very valuable. It is times like these that the extra stack of silage or the extra paddock of maize silage prove to be very valuable.

Farming is becoming increasingly complex. Until recentyl, farmers had relatively few issues to focus on: feeding cows, producing milk and hopefully making enough money to feed their family and pay off their mortgages.

Things are very different now. The historical issues remain but added to these are increased compliance requirements, regular staff shortages, more demands from milk and meat processors, climate change and of course, global supply chain issues brought about by war and pandemics.

This increased complexity results in increased risk. Until this season, payout has been relatively stable, sitting between $6.12 and $7.54/kgMS.

The biggest business risk has been around the variable climate and trying to produce enough milk to generate good profit.

With the lure of a record payout and the hope of healthy profits, this season has been incredibly frustrating for many farmers.

The excitement of generating big profits due to the record payout has been somewhat dampened by a cold wet spring in some areas, an extended dry period in others and rising input costs across the whole industry.

It is times like these that the extra stack of silage or the extra paddock of maize silage prove to be very valuable. Stored forages like silage and drought tolerant crops like maize are great risk management tools. The advantage of an extra stack of silage is that is available for seasons like this, when it can be used to keep cows in milk and take advantage of a great payout. And if it's not needed, it can be left in the stack for when it is needed. The advantage of growing a paddock of maize silage during these periods of summer dry is that as a drought tolerant, warm loving plant, maize will produce up to three times more dry matter per hectare than pasture.

To save cost even further, consider growing maize silage grown on an effluent paddock. It is unlikely to need any fertiliser, and the maise is extremely good at mopping up excess nitrogen and potash, reducing risk to both animals and the environment. Yields also tend to be higher on effluent paddocks. As a resut, maize silage grown and harvested from effluent paddocks is a cheap source of drymatter, ranging between 13-17c/kgDM depending on the yield. There is no other stored feed on the market that comes anywhere near maize silage at this price.

Ian Williams is a Pioneer forage specialist. Contact him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

More like this

Secure your maize now, don't wait for the scramble

I recently had the pleasure of attending an AgFirst event in Hamilton where the results of the 2024-25 Waikato-Bay of Plenty Dairy Financial Survey were shared. Based on a 136ha farm milking 379 cows, average farm profit before tax was $405,892, an incredible 286% increase on the 23-24 season.

Milking longer with maize silage

This season's dry conditions have made one thing clear: not having enough feed on hand can bring your season to an early close.

Featured

Fieldays to rebuild Mystery Creek services building

The iconic services building at National Fieldays' Mystery Creek site will be demolished to make way for a "contemporary replacement that better serves the needs of both the community and event organisers," says board chair Jenni Vernon.

National

Machinery & Products

New McHale terra drive axle option

Well-known for its Fusion baler wrapper combination, Irish manufacturer McHale has launched an interesting option at the recent Irish Ploughing…

Amazone unveils flagship spreader

With the price of fertiliser still significantly higher than 2024, there is an increased onus on ensuring its spread accurately at…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Fonterra vote

OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.

Follow the police beat

OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter