Brought to you by Limagrain
New solutions against bird damage in corn
Mesurol was the established measure against bird damage in maize for many years, but that time is over as of 2020. Except for the use-up period, the authorization for the product in maize has not been renewed. Growers have to use other methods to prevent bird feeding.
The fact that Mesurol always worked is broadly endorsed by contractor Bert Post and crop consultant Gerben Houwers. But both also point out that local conditions play a role. Post, who has a contracting company in Eemnes with 10 employees, remembers 2 plots from last season that had to be overseeded for a large part despite the treatment with Mesurol. "If it is too dry and too cold, the young maize plants develop so slowly that the birds still manage to make their move."
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Good experiences with Starcover
He is confident that the seed companies will find solutions to approach the positive effect of Mesurol. He also has good experiences with the products of Limagrain. †Seed coating Starcover I have used it before and it works just fine.”
Gerben Houwers, cultivation advisor at Agrowin, also confirms this, a wholesaler in seeds, among other things, with branches in Winterswijk and Goor. His maxim is to select, together with the dairy farmer, the maize variety that best matches the company objectives, both in terms of cultivation conditions and the desired feed value for the dairy cows. “In my view, it is best to use the products that the seed company recommends for the selected variety.” In addition to local circumstances, regional culture also plays a role. “I see that livestock farmers in Overijssel used Mesurol more often than their colleagues in the Achterhoek.”
Alternative Resources
According to Houwers, alternatives to Mesurol are not really attractive. “These are biological preparations based on herbs that cause an unappealing smell or taste to the birds. Unfortunately, we were unable to draw any firm conclusions in the trials with these agents last season, due to the extreme growing conditions. Due to the cold and drought, the corn plants often grew so slowly that the birds caused a lot of damage anyway.”
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He sees good opportunities for the combination from Starcover and Force 20CS that Limagrain offers. “Certainly with good growing conditions, Starcover ensures faster development of the seedlings. That gives the crows less opportunity. And Force not only works against wireworms, but also deters crows under the right conditions.”
Extra security
The Agrowin advisor points out that the disappearance of Mesurol fits in with a trend. “We are losing more and more crop protection products. So it will be more expensive, but above all more difficult to ensure that cultivation runs smoothly.” In that regard, he is enthusiastic about the new CornService of Limagrain. This makes overseeding possible with free additional seed in the event of feeding damage in the young maize crop. “It is a great service that offers the grower extra security and reduces costs in the event of a setback,” says Houwers.
Contractor Post endorses this vision. “I think some of the livestock farmers will take this into account when choosing a variety and supplier. If you don't sow after bird feeding for cost reasons, you will still have a lower yield and therefore less good feed for your cows.”
See how the LG Corn Service works exactly.
