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MAIZE
September 2012
Do soft starch maize hybrids produce more milk? Recently there has been some debate as to whether “soft starch” maize hybrids will produce higher energy silage and more milk per hectare than conventional hybrids. New Zealand trial data combined with independent, overseas dairy cow feeding trials show they won’t. “All maize kernels contain a mix of hard and soft starch,” says Raewyn Densley, Animal Nutritionist for Pioneer brand products. “But because the majority of hard starch is not deposited until the kernels are almost fully mature, differences between hybrids
are relatively small at silage harvest time.” Independent scientific trials conducted in Brazil and at the University of Nebraska have shown no difference in the milk production of cows fed maize silage made from hard or soft starch hybrids. “New Zealand maize silage research shows that for on-farm maize silage growers, yield is the key driver of milk production and maize silage profitability,” says Raewyn. “Growers should use side-by-side yield data to select the highest yielding hybrids before they consider nutritional quality.” Table 1: New Zealand side-by-side maize hybrid performance summary
Trials show no difference in milk production of cows fed maize silage made from hard or soft starch hybrids.
Maize hybrid performance comparison chart
Yield and income advantage to the named Pioneer® brand hybrid
Pioneer® brand
Other brand
Number of comparisons
Drymatter difference (%)1
33G26 33M54 34P88 35A30 P0791
Olympiad Olympiad Maximus Maximus Maximus
43 81 66 84 91
0.17 -0.26 0.21 1.91 -0.83
Scientific designation = very highly significant yield advantage to Pioneer = highly significant yield advantage to Pioneer = significant yield advantage to Pioneer 1 Positive dry matter differences indicate that the Pioneer hybrid had a higher average dry matter percentage at harvest. Such hybrids are usually shorter in maturity than the comparison. Negative dry matter differences indicate that the Pioneer hybrid had a lower average dry matter content at harvest. Such hybrids are usually longer in maturity than the
Yield Statistical (kgDM/ha) Significance +2,380 +2,595 +3,663 +1,692 +1,611
Milk Income ($/ha)2 +1,428 +1,557 +2,198 +1,015 +967
comparison hybrid 2 In this table milk solids income is calculated assuming a milk solids response rate of 100g milk solids per kg of maize silage dry matter fed and a milk solids price of $6.00/kg. Source: Pioneer Brand Products New Zealand Research Programme. “Farmers seeking high energy maize silage should use side-by-side trial results to choose high-grain content silage hybrids,” says Raewyn. “They should also maximise starch availability by ensuring kernels are well processed at harvest-time.”