Collaborating Producer: Peter & Marilyn Dolen, Fourth Creek
Research Coordinator: Dr. Akim Omokanye
From: Peace Country Beef & Forage Association 2012 Annual Report
Corn is a high energy feed with protein levels that will normally match the nutritional needs of a dry cow in mid and late pregnancy. It also has the potential to produce more dry matter than tame hay or forage cereals. By replacing other forms of feed with standing corn particularly in late fall and during winter, labour time, machinery use and associated costs are reduced as no summer feed harvesting is required and winter supplemental feeding is limited. The objective of the study was to assess corn hybrids for forage yield and quality in Fourth Creek area.
Methods
The trial took place at Peter & Marilyn Dolen’s farm (NW 36-81-8-W6) in Fourth Creek (Saddle Hills County). The site was 50 acres in size and was worked before seeding. Seeding was done on May 10 and 11 at the rate of 30,000 kernels/acre with a 6-row corn planter at 30-inch row spacing and at a seeding depth of 1.5-2 inches. Four corn hybrids were seeded (BrettYoung Edge R, BrettYoung Fusion RR, Pioneer P7213R and BrettYoung 91B18 RR). Weeds were controlled once with Roundup at 0.67 L/ac.
On September 25, 2012, forage yield was determined from four 17.5ft long corn rows per corn hybrid. The corn forage samples were weighed, after which some corn plants were chopped with a corn chopper for determination of moisture content and feed value in a laboratory. Dry matter (DM) yield was later calculated for each corn hybrid. On the sampling day, the numbers of cobs per plant and cob maturity were also determined.