Farmer John House and Mark Cox of Mole Valley Farmers

BRIDGEWATER dairy farmer John House is finding success with a maize crop that has surpassed all that he had grown previously.

Mr House keeps a 140 strong herd on his 430 acre farm where the animals' diet consists of 60% maize to 40% grass respectively.

The arable rotation consists of O.S.R, winter wheat and maize on a three-year cycle.

When he was selecting maize varieties for this year he said he paid particular attention to the N.I.A.B List and in particular the dry matter and starch yields of newly recommended varieties.

Discussions with Mark Cox of Mole Valley Farmers followed and it was decided that the Huntseeds variety Kroesus, with its early vigour, exceptional dry matter, and starch yields would be used.

Mr House decided to put just over half of his farm's 55 acres of maize crops into Kroesus, whilst the remainder was a variety he had grown on the farm in previous years.

The dry spring enabled him to create excellent seedbeds that were ready to be drilled by April 28.

The crop was sown at a drilling rate of 42,500 seeds per acre, with MAP to be applied "down the spout".

The crop grew strongly from day one, showing excellent early vigour, he said.

Weed control consisted of one application of the new chemical, Cadou Star, applied at 0.75kg per hectare.

The crop was inspected two days prior to harvest and was visibly a strong even crop that consisted of tall thick plants with one large full cob per plant.

Mr House said he had grown many different varieties of maize on his land over many years but this year's crop of Kroesus had surpassed all that had been grown previously.

"The crop has not looked back since day one and is most definitely the best crop that I have grown," he told South West Farmer.

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