An increase of 1 to 4 MAT points

A solution for farmers facing rising raw material costs

Combining corn with lablab results in silage that is higher in protein and reduces the need to purchase concentrates. Lablab, a tropical legume native to Africa, twines around the corn and can grow to over three meters in height.

Benefits and Results

• Yield: 6 to 7 tons of dry matter per hectare, with 16% protein.
• High in TDM: Total dry matter (TDM) ranges from 4.7 to 12.45 points, with an average increase of 1 to 4 points compared to pure corn.
• Comparison: 70% of pure maize crops have a MAT value of less than 7.5, while 70% of maize-lablab mixtures exceed this threshold.

Outlook for the Future

Semental is working on the approval of a microbial inoculant for nitrogen fixation in lablab beans. Arvalis is conducting further trials to assess the potential of lablab beans in the face of global warming.

Forage Strategy: The Impact of Global Warming

Rising temperatures

• Observations: Since 1980, the average temperature has risen by 2°C in southern France, and by 0.35 to 0.4°C per decade in the Massif Central.
• Consequences: Temperatures above 23°C limit the growth of perennial ryegrass, prompting a shift toward tropical plants.

Rainfall distributed differently

• Trends: Annual precipitation remains stable, but with a marked decrease in the spring and an increase in the fall.
• Impact: The increase in potential evapotranspiration (PET) worsens the water balance.

More extreme weather events

• Risks: Extreme weather events (drought, late frosts, excessive rainfall) are becoming more frequent.
• Adaptations: Grass silage is showing increasingly higher sugar content.

HDI Corn: Fiber digestibility improves by one point

Characteristics of forage corn in 2022

• Dry matter: 37.8% on average, making the corn too dry at harvest.
• Energy value: 0.90 UFL, down 1% from 2021.
• Starch: Average content, but the digestible fiber content is fairly good.

Benefits of HDI Genetics

• Digestibility gain: One Dinag point and 0.02 UFL/kg DM.

Recommendations for rationing

The 2022 silage corn crop, which is lower in energy content, requires supplementation with energy concentrates. A forage analysis is essential for proper feeding of the livestock.