Pit competition winner has 1.036 VEM

Dairy farmer Ronald Jansen from Raalte (Overijssel) has won the Great Feed Value Competition 1.036 with his maize silage analysis of 423 VEM, 57,6 grams of starch and 2018% NDF digestibility. Out of almost 700 entries, the nutritional value parameters of this maize silage were judged to be the best.

The 700 maize silages recorded an average VEM of 990, with 394 grams of starch and 52% NDF digestibility at 38,8% dry matter. About 2/3 of the submitted silages are made entirely of LG maize varieties.

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Focus on quality
"For us as a maize breeder, this competition provides valuable practical information. For example, we can see in great detail our progress in NDF digestibility, and therefore extra high VEM per kilo of dry matter, in the maize silages of our LG varieties. delivers the return for the grower and that's what it's all about," says Jos Groot Koerkamp of Limagrain.

With his 75 dairy cows, Jansen realizes a rolling annual average of 10.680 kilos of milk (with 4,33% fat and 3,48% protein). For this high production he needs top quality roughage. Just like in 2017, he is therefore also sowing this year the early maize variety LG 31.211.

(Text continues below the photo)Winner Ronald Jansen from Raalte produces an average of 10.680 kilos of milk annually.

'Basic ration determines'
The top maize silage with 1.034 VEM, 412 grams of starch and 56,7% NDF digestibility is also no coincidence for the winner of the second main prize, dairy farmer Robert van den Bosch from Wintelre (North Brabant). "The basic ration is decisive", is how he describes his focus on roughage quality. Are easily digestible LG STACEY maize silage and a good first cut of grass in 2017 mean that his milk production and percentages are currently very good.Robert van den Bosch wins the second prize.

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