Dutch top cows demand top roughage

The Dutch dairy cows are at the top when it comes to milk production. This means that our livestock has a very high energy requirement. By extracting roughage with the highest possible energy density (VEM per kilo ds) yourself, you reduce feed costs, increase the margin per kilo of milk and maintain production.

You do not have to purchase any VEM that you get from your own land. Dairy farms with the highest feed value yields per hectare are therefore invariably at the top (in terms of operating yield). This is apparent from study clubs and from figures from accountants.

Feed costs per kilo of milk
In various study clubs, the feed costs per kilo of milk between companies appear to vary from €0,08 to €0,12. This saves tens of thousands of euros on an annual basis. So it quickly pays off to pay sufficient attention to the choice of maize varieties this year.

Harvest security
Don't be blinded by yield potential: only varieties that ripen sufficiently early, remain healthy and are very firm will deliver that yield! Early ripening varieties with the best agricultural properties are the most reliable.

VEM per kilo ds: starch and cell wall digestibility
Every dairy farmer knows that the VEM per kilo of DM determines how much milk the cow can produce from each bite of maize. The VEM of silage maize comes from the cob and from the residual plant. So choose varieties that score well on both starch content and cell wall digestibility.

VEM yield
The VEM yield is the sum of the feed value per kilo ds and the dry matter yield. Varieties that score high in both areas provide the highest total feed value yield per hectare. For silage maize, this is decisive for the yield. Varieties that excel in grain yield are used for grain maize cultivation, not for silage maize.

Would you like to know more about profitable silage maize cultivation in 2018?
View the Recommended Corn Varieties
Ask your LG roughage specialist for advice

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