Moorepark: 04/02/10

The cost of maize and alternative forages

E. Finneran1, 2 and P. Crosson1

1Teagasc Grange Beef Research Centre, Dunsany, Co. Meath. 2School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College

Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4.

Presentation Overview

• Background

• Cost of maize silage

– Effect of yield variation

– Effect of polythene mulch

– Effect of soil nutrient status

• Costs of alternative winter feeds relative to purchased

rolled barley

• Conclusion

Background

• Feed cost is the greatest direct cost (Teagasc NFS,2008)

• Need to control/ reduce feed cost

• Need to evaluate factors affecting feed crop cost:

– Changing input prices

– Management

– Soil and weather

• Grange Feed Costing Model (GFCM; Teagasc Grange 2010)

Analysis assumptions

• Soil index 3 for P and K

• High standards of management assumed (yields & quality)

• Annual land charge of €300/ha for all crops

• Current contractor charges for all operations (Teagasc, 2010)

• All chemical fertilisers used (Coulter & Lalor, 2008)

• Jan 2010 fertiliser and spray prices (CSO, IFJ, Teagasc 2010)

• Purchased rolled barley costed at €150/t fresh delivered

• Costs per hectare, per tonne utilised (consumed) dry

matter, per 1,000UFL

Cost of maize silage€/ha €/acre

Land charge 300 120

Crop establishment (incl plastic) 713 285

Fertilisers and sprays 432 173

Harvesting 309 124

Feedout 88 35

Other variable costs 70 28

Fixed costs 88 35

Total feed cost 1,999 800

UDM Yield t/ha, t/ac 13.9 5.6

Total feed cost €/t UDM €144

Source: GFCM, Teagasc, Grange

Effect of yield variability

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Below ave Average Above ave

€/ t

UD

M

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

t UD

M /h

a

YieldSource: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD

Effect of yield variability

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Below ave Average Above ave

€/ t

UD

M

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

t UD

M /h

a

Yield CostSource: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD

Maize yields with and without plastic

YieldPlastic/No

PlasticDry Matter Yield

(t UDM/ha)Energy Yield (‘000 UFL/ha)

Below average

P 12.1 9.7

NP 8.7 6.8

AverageP 13.9 11.8

NP 11.7 9.4

Above average

P 15.6 14.0

NP 14.7 13.2

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD

Plastic effect on maize cost: DM basis

€195

€146

€117

€166

€144€129

6080

100120140

160180200220

Below ave Average Above ave

Yield

€/ t

UD

M No PlasticPlastic

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD

Plastic effect on maize cost: Energy basis

€244

€183

€138

€200

€169

€143

6080

100120140160180200220240260

Below ave Average Above ave

Yield

€/ '0

00 U

FL

No PlasticPlastic

8% - 18%

Sowing under polythene reduces maize cost

by:

Sowing under polythene reduces variability of yield

by: 48%

…reduces variability of maizecost by: 45%

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD

Effect of soil nutrient status and slurry usage

• Field 1: High P and K status. Previously permanent grassland.

• Field 2: Low P and K status. Previously in continuous maize/cereals.

Soil Indices

N P K

Field 1 2 3 3

Field 2 1 1 1

Source: Coulter & Lalor, 2008

Effect of soil nutrient status

€144€157

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Field 1 Field 2

€/ t

UD

M

Total Cost Fertiliser

Maize grown in Field 2 costs 9% more than

an equivalent crop grown in Field 1

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD

Effect of cattle slurry usage

€144

€125

€157

€132

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Field 1 Field 1 'S' Field 2 Field 2 'S'

€/ t

UD

M

Total Cost Fertiliser

Slurry usage reduced maizecost by:

16%13%

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD

Alternative feed crops Utilisation and yield

Utilisation1 Yield (t UDM)Grazed grass 0.75 9.0

One cut silage system 0.81 6.75

Two cut silage system 0.81 10.5

Maize 0.86 13.9

Whole crop wheat 0.86 13.8

Whole crop triticale 0.86 14.4

Fodder beet 0.81 12.1

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

1Utilisation: kg consumed per kg grown

Alternative feed crops Components of feed cost

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

GG GS1 GS2 WCM WCW WCT FBH

€/ h

a

Land Crop Est Fert & crop mgt Harvest Feedout Fixed costsSource: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

Alternative feed crops Total feed cost/ ha

€2,606

€1,999€1,805€1,735

€1,527

€883€676

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

GG GS1 GS2 WCT WCW WCM FBH

€/ h

a

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

€74

€120€131 €131

€144 €145

€215

0

50

100

150

200

250

GG

WCT

GS1

WCW

WCM

GS2

FBH

€/ t

UD

MAlternative feed crops

Total feed cost: DM basis

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

€77

€147€168 €169 €170

€181 €192

0

50

100

150

200

250

GG

WCT

GS1

WCM

WCW

GS2

FBH

€/ '0

00 U

FLAlternative feed crops Total feed cost: Energy basis

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

€77

€147€168 €169 €170 €181 €192

€162

0

50

100

150

200

250

GG

WCT

GS1

WCM

WCW

GS2

FBHPurch

RB

€/ '0

00 U

FLAlternative feed crops Total feed cost: Energy basis

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

Cost relative to purchased barley Energy basis

0

1

GG

GS1

GS2

WCM

WCW

WCT

FBHPurch

RBR

elat

ive

to p

urch

ased

bar

ley Below ave Average yield Above ave

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

Cost relative to purchased barley Energy basis

0

1

GS1

GS2

WCM

WCW

WCT

FBHPurch

RBR

elat

ive

to p

urch

ased

bar

ley Below ave Average yield Above ave

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

Cost relative to purchased barley Energy basis

0

1

GS1

GS2

WCM

WCW

WCT

Purch RB

Rel

ativ

e to

pur

chas

ed b

arle

y Below ave Average yield Above ave

Source: GFCM, DARDNI, DAF, Teagasc, UCD,CSO

Conclusion• Yield is the greatest factor affecting feed cost variability

• Soil nutrient status and testing is important

• Plastic important for maize, particularly wrt crop quality

• There are range of cost competitive winter feeds

• Range of factors affect the choice of feed crops

including:

– Cost of production and feeding

– Livestock feed requirements

– Farm layout

– Available facilities and labour

Thank you for your attention