Roughage tour Maize silage - Week 21
Corn fields robbed empty by bird feeding
Due to the slow growth of the corn due to the cold weather, the young plants are easy prey for crows and rooks. The birds peck the seeds and pull the seedlings out of the ground, causing a lot of damage.
The growth of the maize plant is moderate due to the persistent cold, which means that the young plant remains a prey for the birds for longer. The damage occurs from sowing to the 2-leaf stage of the maize. As soon as the corn plant emerges above the ground, the birds pull it out and eat the germ.
In particular, the maize fields in the wooded areas are infested by large colonies of crows and rooks. “A large part of the first cut is still in the east of the country. As a result, there is little food for the birds elsewhere and the pressure on the maize fields is even greater'', says Robert ter Maat, forage specialist Central Netherlands at Limagrain.
During the week when the temperatures pick up, the maize plant will grow faster and the birds will no longer be a threat. For a number of dairy farmers, however, the damage has already been done and a number of plots have to be sown or, in the worst case, completely reseeded.
Erik van der Deure
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