Making the Most of Maize: King of the Forage Crops – Symposium – Exeter

With the need to maximise milk production from homegrown forage brought into sharper focus by reduced milk prices, the role of maize within the forage system has never been more important. At the same time, farms that are able to achieve strong milk-from-forage performance are better placed to improve margins and overall resilience when milk prices recover.

This symposium has been developed to provide a dedicated forum for farmers and industry professionals to explore how to get more from forage maize – from the decisions made in the field through to preservation, feed-out and nutritional performance.

Bringing together a line-up of high-profile speakers from the UK and internationally, the event will combine technical expertise with practical application. It will cover the key factors that influence maize performance across the full system, including feeding strategies to optimise milk from forage, best practice in maize preservation and clamp management, approaches to managing mycotoxin risk, and the agronomic decisions that underpin crop success. The programme will also include international perspectives on maize systems, alongside insight into emerging technologies shaping the future of forage production.

Designed to be both informative and relevant to practical farming systems, the symposium will provide attendees with the opportunity to hear directly from leading experts, ask questions, and take away clear, actionable insights.

There will also be dedicated time throughout the day to engage with exhibitors, connect with other farmers and advisers, and discuss shared challenges and opportunities.

For those looking to improve the performance, efficiency and return from maize, this event offers a valuable opportunity to gain insight from some of the leading voices in the industry.

Info: Why maize is such an important crop for milk production, particularly in times of lower milk price when there is a need to maximise milk from forage.
But also, how having a healthy milk from forage figure puts the business on a more profitable footing when milk prices are higher.

Info: Iwan will be drawing on findings from his 2017 Nuffield Farming Scholarship on low protein feeding. He’ll highlight how maize can be used to meet increasing milk processor requirements to reduce total dietary crude protein levels, whilst maximising feed conversion efficiency. The importance of a well preserved, palatable maize crop in driving milk from forage and getting the best return on investment will also be discussed.

Info: Mark will explain why maize silage is such an important crop for milk production, particularly in times of lower milk price when there is a need to maximise milk from forage. His focus will be on providing practical advice for managing the crop from cut to clamp to minimise dry matter and quality losses. This should involve effective planning, harvesting, treating, clamping and feed-out practices. He will also highlight the role of an inoculant and explain the risk of mycotoxins and how and why it’s important to protect cows from their impact.

Info: Dr Hsueh-lui Ho, Global Technical Manager for Feed Additives at Volac International
Hsueh-lui’s presentation will focus on mycotoxin management and explain what mycotoxins are and how they negatively impact cow health and productivity. She will also highlight the scale of the problem in forages, and particularly maize, drawing on the latest Mycocheck findings. The impact of climate change on mycotoxin profiles and how to adopt a preventative approach to mycotoxin management at feed-out will also be discussed.

Info: Tom will detail how to grow maize effectively. He’ll cover everything from field selection to variety choice and harvesting. He’ll highlight the importance of matching maturity class with field-type to ensure the crop reaches optimal maturity quickly. This will help to lower environmental risk, hit an optimum dry matter for ensiling and maximise feeds out potential.

Info: Limin will provide an insight into maize management in the US and explain why it’s viewed as the king of the forage crops thanks to its high yields, ease of harvest and highly digestible starch and fibre levels. He will also explain what good fermentation looks like and the role of an inoculant in improving aerobic stability, drawing on his own extensive research.

Info: Cody will explain how drones are being used in the States to pre-plan silage clamp feed-out with 3D modelling; accurately measure forage stock; and evaluate silage management practices from the air. Drone outputs have helped farmers to make management decisions to improve forage quality and feed-out, plan better and identify and reduce clamp losses. Cody will highlight the specific benefits for maize crops, and how UK farmers may be able to utilise this technology in the future.

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Host or Publisher Volac International