They held their own in 2022

Dent-type flour: Is the starch more digestible?

Trials and results on milk production

In 2021, Pioneer conducted trials on dent corn genetics at several experimental farms, including the one at the Sées high school in the Orne department. The farm’s 80 Normande cows were fed three different types of corn silage.

Results observed

• Increase in milk production: +1 L/LW/day with starchy dent corn (m²) compared to flint-dent corn.
• Decrease in production: -2 liters per head per day upon switching back to dent corn.
• Starch utilization: The manure contained four times less starch when the animals were fed dent corn, indicating better starch utilization by the animals.

Corn Seed Distribution: On-Farm Sales

An innovative approach by Farmsaat

Since 2020, Farmsaat, a German seed company, has been using a network of farmers to market its corn seeds. Each partner plants a demonstration plot of hybrids and showcases it to their network.

Operation and Results

• Growing network: 80 partners in 2022, compared to 30 in 2020.
• Sales targets: 20,000 doses sold in 2022, with a target of 35,000 doses for the next campaign.
• Benefits: Partner farmers are compensated for order fulfillment and logistics.

Corn & Lablab: Strong Results in 2022

A successful organization

In 2022, the corn-lablab intercropping system established by Jean-Marc Dubot showed promising results.

Key findings

• MAT content: 101 g/kg DM for the corn-lablab mixture, compared to 83 g/kg DM for corn alone.
• Starch content: 228 g/kg DM for corn-lablab silage.

Corn & Lablab: Sow Early or Late

Effect of sowing date on yields

Farmsaat's partner farmers are conducting trials to assess the impact of the planting date.

Comments

• High-performing late planting: Corn planted on May 18 performed better than corn planted earlier.
• Blooming and thunderstorms: The blooming period coincided with thunderstorms, which boosted yields.

A grain supply

Varieties and Results

Farmsaat offers a range of hybrid corn, sorghum, grass, and soybean seeds.

High-yielding varieties

• Farmmirage and Farmoritz: Horned, dented hybrids with an energy value of 0.96 UF and starch contents of 321 and 302 g/kg DM.
• Farmweller: A variety popular for grain corn or corn silage.

Sorghum: They weathered the storm in 2022

Resilience in the Face of Drought

Sorghum crops showed good drought tolerance in 2022.

Tips for a successful implementation

• Sowing conditions: Sow before or after a rain shower to ensure good germination.
• Heat tolerance: Well-established sorghum plants are highly tolerant of heat.
• Yield variations: A 20% to 30% decrease compared to the previous year, but food values remain stable.