August 20, 2009

KWS UK launches corn potential guidebook

KWS UK has produced a new guide to corn production with specific emphasis on maximising the crop's feed potential in the ration.

The company's corn specialist, John Burgess, believes that the booklet will provide useful guidance prior to this coming harvest and in planning next season's crops.

Corn is not getting any cheaper to grow and farmers want to gain maximum output from a relatively high input crop, said Burgess.

Consistency of feed value is also determined by crop management, so the guide also includes practical crop management and feed elements, Burgess said.

For example, the guide focuses on approaches to harvesting and the effects that crop maturity, harvest date and chop length have on ration structure, thereby providing best practice guidance for growers this season.

The guide also covers the production of both corn cob mix (CCM) and crimped corn as a means of boosting the available energy.

Both methods produce higher levels of by-pass starch and CCM in particular is very useful for boosting scratch factor in the ration.

The guide is available through corn seed merchants or directly from KWS UK.