Lecture 11 Alternative Forage Flashcards

1
Q

Whats the cost of production of forages, based on specific yields and high quality?

Maize Silage €/t utilised DM 2023

Maize Silage €/t utilizable DM 2024

A

2023- €187

2024- €142

This is a reference yield

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2
Q

Whats the difference between maize crop and whole crop silage?

A

Maize- Maize silage

Whole crop- Any cereal silage

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3
Q

Whats the difference between fodder beet and the rest of the feedstuff?

A

Requires specialised equipment- a lot of specific machinery that you need.

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4
Q

Whats the DM yield from maize?

A

30DM

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5
Q

Whats the greatest driver of feed costs?

A

Yield variability is the greatest driver of feed crop cost

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6
Q

Driving costs of alternative forages:(4)

A
  • Yield variability is the greatest driver of feed crop cost
  • Soil nutrient status and testing is important
  • Plastic important – WCM quality
  • There are a range of winter feeds competitive on a DM
    basis
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7
Q

What are the range of factors affect the choice of feed crops
(4)

A

– Cost
– Farm system
– Farm layout
– Available facilities and labour

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8
Q

How do we grow maize in ireland?

A

Under plastic wrap

84 growing degree days per leaf of maize,
but maize under plastic was given an extra 12 days

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9
Q

Slide 7 Maize Structure

A
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10
Q

Parts of Maize crop:(5)

A

-Tassle
-Silk
-Ear
-Hust
-Brace Roots

Maize crop gives alot of biomass yielding crop

Massive crop for AD plant because is gives a huge biomass yield

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11
Q

What is the tassle?

A

the male part of the corn plant that contains the pollen. The
tassel is on top of the corn plant.

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12
Q

What is the silk ?

A

a hollow tube that comes from the female part (ovary) on the
ear. The silk grows outside of the husk until the pollen lands on the
silk and then moves down silk tube to fertilize the ovary to form the
seed. Each ear has one silk strand for each kernel on the ear

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13
Q

What is the ear?

A

the structure that contains the kernels that are forming after
fertilization. The female part of the corn plant.

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14
Q

What is the husk

A

leaf like structure that wraps around the ear for protection.

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15
Q

What is the Brace roots?

A

develop from aerial stem nodes and can remain aerial or
grow into the ground. Function of these roots is to brace the plant.

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16
Q

How much is distribution worldwide?

What countries is the main place for it?

Whats maize turned into?

A
  • c.141 m ha world wide
  • Produces 238 m tonnes
  • Main food source of Mexico, Latin America,
    Africa and Asia
  • Food, animal feed and alcohol production,
    biofuels
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17
Q

Is maize generally sown to produce grain?

A

Maize is not generally sown to produce grain in
Ireland

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18
Q

What is forage maize?
Is it suited everywhere in ireland?

A
  • Forage maize – whole crop is harvested and
    converted to silage
  • Only suited to certain areas and sites of the country
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19
Q

What does maize silage production entail?

Whats its storage based on ?

A

Chopping and packing of the whole plant

Based on preservation under anerobic conditions from the growth of lactic acid bacteria which promots a natureal fermatation that lowers the PH to a level at which clostridial and most mould growth is inhibited

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20
Q

What conditions does maize like to grow in?

A

30 degrees celcius

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21
Q

Is Maize high labour crop?

A

No- Low labor input

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22
Q

List 9 advantages of Maize?

A
  • Relatively easy, low labor input crop
  • Effective break crop
  • It spreads and reduces the work-load in spring
    and autumn
  • It can be grown anywhere in the rotation
  • Single harvest crop – fragmentation
  • Use of organic fertilizers
  • High yielding/ energy crop
  • Increase forage intake
  • Consistent quality
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23
Q

What are the challenges with Maize in ireland?

A
  • Maize in the open is typically very variable from year to year
  • Poor seed bed, laying of film, general agronomy practices lead to
    poor crops
  • Trading between grower and livestock farmer
  • Suitable varieties on NRL is limited – small market
  • Herbicides limited – small market
  • Majority is now grown with film which brings its own challenges with
    regards to suitable varieties, herbicide etc
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24
Q

What are factors affecting maize production in Ireland? (10)

A
  • Site
  • Sowing date
  • Variety
  • Seeding rate
  • Plastic cover
  • Weed control
  • Fertiliser
  • Foliar disease
  • Harvest date
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25
Q

If you have pig slurry….

A

You can make maize silage for pennies.

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26
Q

Maize , is it consistent through a silage pit?

A

Maize has a consistent quality throughout the silage pit, unlike grass silage.

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27
Q

Slide 22 Forage Crop Margin Slide

A
28
Q

What is a critical factor for Maize?

A

Site suitability

29
Q

What is an ideal site suitability? (6)

A

– South facing
– Fertile
– Good shelter
– Without excessive shade
– Good access to roadway
– Dry for early April planting and October harvest

30
Q

What can be an issue in wet harvesting wet conditions?

A

Compaction

31
Q

What is an ‘excellent site’ for maize? (4)

A

-0.50m above sea level
-Free draining
-South facing
-Sheltered

32
Q

What is an ‘good’ for maize? (4)

A

-50-75m above sea level
-Good soil condition
-Southerly aspect
-reasonable shelter

33
Q

What is an ‘marginal site’ for maize? (4)

A

-75-100m above sea level
-Heavy ground
-Late sowing/early harvest
-Exposed site

34
Q

Whats the seeding rate for maise??

Whats the inches between Maize plants?

A

38,000 plants per acre

30 inches between each plant

35
Q

What disease can be a problem in maize but not in ireland?

A

Folliar Disease

36
Q

What do you need t ensure when you are picking maize for your site?

A

Look for a very suitable variety for your site

37
Q

Late maturing varieties… what to know about them?

What do they tend to product?

A

Shoulent be sown late

higher yields

38
Q

Whats the story with early maturing varities?

A

Lower yield but high starch (better for grain production)

39
Q

Sowing date of Maize:

A

Recommended to sow when soil temperature
reaches 10oC at 10 cm depth
Late April , early may

40
Q

What does sowing under plastic elevate?

A

Sowing under plastic elevates temperature and
brings forward sowing date

41
Q

What does early sowing increase?

A

Early sowing increase cob, grain and starch content

42
Q

If sowing temps are too low for maize,,,

A

If sowing temps are too low during the phase of grain
maturation - limit grain development

43
Q

Slide 27 Look at graph

A
44
Q

Varities, where do you find them?
What are a necessity for early maturing ?

A
  • +/- plastic?
  • Listed according to performance with plastic
    in Dept recommended list
  • For more marginal areas early maturing types
    are a necessity
45
Q

Covering Maize with plastic

A

Covering with plastic is a very beneficial thing to do

Mature crop

46
Q

From 2012-2014 what were the control varities?

A

Beethoven,
Beacon,
Density in 2013

and

Beethoven,
Beacon in 2014

47
Q

What does plastic cover increase?

A

Lead to increase in maize in Ireland

  • Not necessary in all conditions
  • Creates a micro-climate to promote growth and
    development
  • Film reduces the variability in crop yield from
    year to year – more predictable
  • Degradable mulch film can increase
    – DM yield
    – Whole plant DM%
    – Grain content
    – Starch content
48
Q

What does plastic increase soil temperatures by?

What % of maize was sown without plastic in 2022?

A

3 degrees in may and june

1.5 degrees in july

  • Increases germination and site filling
  • 10% maize in 2021 grown without plastic
49
Q

Are open and film treatments harvested on the same date?

A

yes

50
Q

Slide 37 graph

A
51
Q

Are you allowed to use plastic covers in ireland now?

A

yes - compostable alternatives

52
Q

Whats the compostible alternatives made from?

Is it applied the same way?

When should you plant?

What does this alternative do?

Is it cheaper or more expensive?

A
  • Compostable alternatives
  • Made form plant starch that is broken down by
    bugs and M/O
  • Used and applied in the same way as the
    traditional plastic
  • Delay planting until after 20th April
  • Absorbs moisture and creates a drier climate
  • More expensive
53
Q

Whats the plastic film called?

A

Oxo-degradable
Plastic

54
Q

Whats the aim for weed control in Maize?

A

eliminate weeds before they begin to
complete – between 2-5 leaf stage of maize
growth

55
Q

Whats the options for herbicide application?

A

– Pre and during /post sowing
– Post emergence
– Timing will dictate herbicide choice
– Cropping/ weed history
– Emerged weeds dictate post emergence

56
Q

What are the different diseases in Maize?

A

-Eyespot
-Northern Corn Leaf Blight

57
Q

List the 7 pests in Ireland for Maize?

A
  • Wireworm
  • Leatherjackets
  • Slugs
  • Frit fly
  • Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica)
  • Birds
  • Badgers
58
Q

Delay in harvest of Maize=

A

Delaying harvest increases DM, grain and
starch contents
– result from grain development

59
Q

As Maize plant matures: 3

A

– WSC ↓
– Starch ↑
– Fibre ↓

60
Q

Target for maize silage

A

30% DM
30% Starch

61
Q

When growing maize for corn when do you harvest…

A

‘100% of kernal hard, harvest Immediately’

62
Q

Slide 27 nutritive value for maize

A
63
Q

Positives of maize: 5

A

Improved milk yield during winter period

Increased annual milk yield/ ha

Consistent feedstuff?

Reduced reliance on concentrates
AFBI work shows MS can have a conc.
sparing effect of up to 3.2 kg/cow/d

High quality buffer feed

64
Q

Negatives to Maize(4)

A

Reduced total forage production?

Lower proportion of grazed grass in diet –
higher cost

Cost/risk of growing 22% area as maize

Poor growing season

65
Q

If your maize is less than 20% and >30% starch what happens to your feed?

A

Feeding value dependent on slower digestibility

66
Q

Does maize give higher output?

A

gives higher milk yield, milk solids, milk fat and protein

67
Q

Slide 51

A