Early maize frees land for second cropping Maize harvesting on a dairy farm in North West Shropshire was done and dusted during the first week of September allowing the land to be re-sown with an out-wintering crop. Phil James farms 500 acres at Church Farm, St Martins near Oswestry where he produces an annual volume of 1.8 million litres of milk. With cow numbers slowly moving beyond 300 and with more youngstock being reared at home, Mr James needed to free up additional winter housing space to accommodate the dairy herd. A block of almost 100 acres is put to maize each year at Church Farm leaving a large area of land lying unused following the traditional October maize harvest.

Therefore, earlier this year, Mr James decided, with the help of Daniel Bates, Wynnstay agronomist, to sow some of his maize under plastic. “The aim was simple,” Mr James explains. “We wanted to harvest the maize as early as possible so that we could use the field twice in the year by sowing a crop of cereal rye for out-wintering the dairy heifers and beef youngstock.”

Seven acres of maize were sown under plastic using the Samco system on 30 th March, two weeks ahead of the remaining 90 acres of maize which were drilled conventionally. “This was a relatively small scale trial,” Mr James explains. “It wasn’t a case that we can’t achieve a decent yield by growing maize conventionally, more that we wanted to bring the harvest forward as much as possible so that we could get a second crop in before the weather turned too cold.”

Harvesting took place on 4 th September, some four weeks ahead of Mr James’ typical harvest window. Five days later the rye had been sown. “It has been a real team effort to make things work, but I am happy with the results,” Mr James says. Three separate contractors were involved in the overall process: Andrew Thomas of Welshpool who drilled the maize under plastic, Paul Eccleston who harvested the crop, and Reg Roberts and Son who have sown the crop of rye. “This is the first time we have tried this new system and it certainly works. We have achieved exactly what we wanted.”

The maize cobs were well ripened by the end of August and by the beginning of September they had hardened off and were ready to be chopped. “By harvesting a month earlier than normal we have been able to drill the rye in near perfect conditions and that has taken the pressure off our existing housing facilities by making more land available for out-wintering.”

Sowing maize under plastic has becoming more popular over recent years as Daniel Bates of Wynnstay describes. “More and more farmers are starting to see the benefits of bringing the drilling and harvesting windows forwards. Sowing under plastic allows plants to accumulate more heat units earlier in the crop’s development which means that higher yields are attainable even in marginal areas where conventional crops struggle to perform.”

And there are other benefits as well according to Mr Bates. “Growing maize under plastic results in a higher starch content which is exactly why maize is grown in the first place,” he states. “The system also spreads the workload for farmers and contractors alike, so there is less pressure during the busiest times of the year.”

But one of the biggest advantages is that varieties that produce a high starch content can be harvested earlier in the year than many of the ultra-early varieties on the NIAB list. “That gives farmers three distinct advantages: high starch content, early harvesting and the option to sow a winter crop,” Mr Bates concludes.

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