Father Gijs and son Dennis Overgaauw from Alteveer (Drenthe) grew various types of dairy products on their dairy farm this season Boost corn varieties. The goal: optimal home-grown feed for the 120 dairy cows. We spoke with Dennis about their experiences.
"We are particularly enthusiastic about the EnergyBoost variety KWS Arturello," says Dennis. "Sometimes they look like small cobs, but when you see how many grains come off them; this variety really gives gigantic yields. We sowed 5,5 hectares of this variety on 16 May and harvested it with the combine on 11 November, crushed the kernels and 'slurped' them with acid. It gave us a CCM yield of around 16 tonnes per hectare with a dry matter percentage of 62,6%, which is equivalent to a yield of over 10.000 kg/ds per hectare."
The breed also shows in the pit analysis above-average results in the area of starch content and digestibility. Due to the high feed value, KWS Arturello is a very suitable alternative for concentrated feed as CCM. "It offers a nice extra supplement in the ration, whereby we estimate that this gives us approximately one extra liter per cow in milk production."
KWS Emporio and KWS Curacao
Prior to KWS Arturello, Overgaauw sowed 7 hectares of the EnergyBoost variety KWS Emporio and 7,5 hectares of the SiloBoost variety KWS Curacao on 7 May. Both varieties were chopped on 24 September.
KWS Emporio rises well above average with a VEM of 1020 and starch content of 409, as can be seen in the pit analysis. The variety also scores extremely well with an NDF digestibility percentage of 54,7 and a VCOS percentage of 78. "This variety is undoubtedly characterized by its energy richness and good digestibility. Only the dry matter percentage is a bit on the high side," says Dennis. "This means that in retrospect the corn could have been chopped a bit earlier. We will certainly take this into account next season."
KWS Curacao is a SiloBoost maize variety, which results in high dry matter yields. Something that is clearly visible in practice, according to Dennis. "The KWS Curacao that comes from torn grassland, yielded around 19,5 tons of dry matter. We can therefore speak of a very high dry matter yield. This SiloBoost maize has a slightly lower feed value than the previously mentioned EnergyBoost varieties, but as you can see in the pit analysis, this variety with a VEM of 1005 and a starch content of 385 still manages to perform above average in this area."
High quality maize with high nutritional value
Overgaauw will once again be opting for KWS Boost varieties for the upcoming corn season. "In 2023, we already grew KWS Arturello and KWS Emporio. Last year, we added KWS Curacao to this list, among others. This year, we will once again be opting for KWS Emporio and KWS Curacao. This time, KWS Arturello is making way for the newcomer Agrolupo. This means that we are opting for KWS Boost corn varieties for the third year in a row. We are simply very satisfied with the yields. Our general experience is that Boost varieties deliver very good quality corn with a high nutritional value, which has a positive effect on milk production."
Highest nutritional value: EnergyBoost maize
EnergyBoost maize has a higher energy concentration and the highest feed value per kg/ds. This leads to better feed quality and therefore to a higher potential milk yield. The supply of easily digestible starch from the maize also ensures a balanced digestibility of the ration. This makes EnergyBoost maize ideal for farmers who are looking for maize with a high energy concentration, because they have a large share of grass in the ration.
Highest dry matter yield: SiloBoost maize
SiloBoost maize has the highest dry matter yield. It not only guarantees a significant starch content, but also ensures that the silo is filled to the brim. Although the energy concentration may differ from EnergyBoost maize, SiloBoost maize ensures an abundant supply of high-quality silage. This makes SiloBoost maize ideal for farmers who are looking for maize with a high dry matter yield, because they have a high share of maize in the ration.
Do you have any questions about Boost corn?
Please contact your KWS advisor or corn seed supplier.