Here are the main advantages:
- Starch digestibility
Dent hybrids offer advantages in ruminal starch digestibility. Starch that is not broken down and digested in the rumen will pass through the cow. Starch lost in the faeces indicates poor utilisation, loss of nutrients and wasted energy
- Get more milk from maize
Trials of dent hybrids show a 2% reduction in faecal starch loss compared to flint hybrids, and each 1% reduction in faecal starch equates to an extra 0.35 litres of milk per day. - Comparing varieties in the clamp
After two months in the clamp, the benefits offered by dent varieties compared to flint is worth £229 per hectare. Six months after ensiling the benefit is reduced but still worth £115 per hectare - New hybrid development
Pioneer variety P7034 is the first dent hybrid avaliable in the UK and produces silage with high starch content and yield. P7034 is also high in plant digestibility and early flowering. Along with a fungicide and a bird repellent seed treatment (Korit), P7034 is also avaliable with Lumibio Kelta. This is a biological seed treatment that improves the avaliability of soil nutrients to support faster emergence, more vigorous seedlings, improved yield, and reduced biotic stress.
Top tip: If Korit-treated seed is used then the typical sowing window can still be used, we recommend drilling at between 30mm and 40mm with a soil temperature of between 8°C and 10°C. Using a maize starter fertiliser will also aid establishment.
