In a recent trial at Heidelberg, the yield of 18 maize silage cultivars under irrigation varied between 18 and 30 tons of dry matter or DM/ha. If the yield is 30% lower, silage costs will be 30% higher.
Ensiling parameters
In order to ensile a crop successfully, ensiling should take place at the right stage and must contain enough sugar. Maize must be ensiled when the plant contains 35% DM. Grain filling must have taken place and kernels must be indented. On a dry basis, grain should comprise 40 to 45% of maize silage.
The maize plant contains 10 to 12% water-soluble carbohydrates (sugars) which is sufficient for successful ensiling. Maize silage often contains 4 to 5% sugar when removed from the bunker. Under no circumstances must molasses be added during ensiling, as excess sugar will increase the silage’s instability when exposed to air. Yeasts and fungi utilise lactic acid and sugar as energy sources when silage is exposed to air.
Guidelines for maize silage
The Santam Agriculture National Silage Competition is an annual event that has taken place since 2014. The competition guidelines for maize silage entail the following:
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Shongololo Boer Goat Stud: Only The Best Will Do
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Climate-Related Hazards: How Smallholders Can Mitigate Its Consequences
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Sanele Mbele: Where Passion And Skill Meet
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Land Reform: Case Studies In Kwazulu-Natal
Land reform in South Africa is complex. Land reform solutions are equally complex and within partnership and development models, this is no different – but there is hope. KwaZulu-Natal has several types of partnership models and the wide variation in farming systems, as well as their different needs, set each model up for different strengths and weaknesses.
Brahman Breeders In Limpopo Have A Winning Plan
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A Brahman Dream Comes True
For as long as he can remember, JP Mlangeni wanted to be a farmer. It might have taken a few years, from being a teacher and later a businessman, but his dream finally took shape and today he runs a fully-fledged breeding and commercial Brahman farming enterprise in Mpumalanga.
