DID YOU JOIN THE GOLD RUSH?

Livestock farmers who are keen to feed maize silage which is high in starch will be able to take advantage of the most up to date maize genetics following the launch of Yukon in the spring.

Yukon is an outstanding introduction and with a starch yield of over 6 tonnes/ha it certainly represents the ‘Gold Standard’ in terms of maize varieties! Tim Richmond, our Maize Brand Manager, takes up the story.

“Where both a high starch content and earliness are required, then Yukon is a very good choice. Across three years of LG trials, Yukon has been the highest yielding for starch. It is predicted to be a maturity class 10.”

Mr Richmond says that in the combined results from three years of LG and NIAB trials, Yukon has averaged a DM yield of 16.6 t/ha, a starch yield of 6.2 t/ha and an ME of 11.4 MJ/kg DM. This equates to a very desirable 189,240 MJ/ha of ME.

He adds that when it appears on the NIAB List in 2013 this new variety should have one of the highest starch contents of all the varieties listed.

“Yukon looks impressive in the field and demonstrates very good early vigour,” he concluded.

Some maize growers have already ‘staked their claim’ to a superior starch yield in advance of listing - because a limited quantity of seed was available from selected seed merchants earlier this year.

June 2011