Already this season, Lithuanian farmers can enjoy innovative solutions that help optimize feed quality and increase livestock productivity. On September 20, the first such comprehensive and accurate test of private corn varieties in Lithuania was harvested, organized by "Dotnuva Seeds".
Why are these tests important?
An efficient livestock farm is a farm where special attention is paid to the quality of feed. Maize, as one of the main feed components, has a direct impact on livestock productivity. That is why Dotnuva Seeds initiated this project, which aims to help farmers choose the most suitable maize variety for their specific farm needs.
What are the results?
As many as 52 different silage corn varieties were sown and evaluated in this year's trial. The obtained results are extremely interesting and promising:
- Earlier harvest: Corn harvesting in Lithuania started 10-12 days earlier than last year, which made it possible to plan work on the farm more efficiently.
- The early-medium early varieties (FAO 160-190 ) had already accumulated an excessive amount of 46-56 % dry matter at that time;
- In mid-late and late varieties (FAO 200-250) 35-42 percent was found. dry matter content;
- High starch content: The starch content of the cultivars ranged from 27 % to 46.3 %, which is the main source of energy in corn silage.
- Good digestibility of organic matter: This means that the animals absorb nutrients from the feed better. Differences in the digestibility of organic matter between some, the varieties of which differed by as much as 8-10 percent.
- High NEL: This indicator shows how much energy animals get from feed. In the tests, there were varieties that made it possible to obtain as much as 0.4 liters more milk yield from 1 kg of dry matter corn silage.
What does this mean for farmers?
These results show that the correct choice of maize variety can significantly increase farm productivity and reduce production costs. The most important thing to pay attention to is not the height of the plant or the size of the cob, but the total mass and the final quality of the silage.
Conclusions
"Dotnuva Seeds" corn variety tests are an important step towards more accurate and efficient development of livestock farms in Lithuania. These tests allow farmers to make informed decisions about corn varieties and optimize their farm operations.
