Squeeze every penny from maize to cover elevated growing costs

27 July 2026

Increased growing costs and only one chance to get it right means it’s vital to do everything possible to safeguard every tonne of maize harvested this season.

Elevated input costs have easily taken maize growing costs over £400/acre, excluding land rent, whilst lower milk prices and tightening margins make it imperative to squeeze as much milk and meat out of homegrown forage. 

Maize is a highly nutritious, high-energy crop that plays a crucial role in driving intakes and milk. However, it is prone to dry matter and energy losses - both during storage and at feed-out – due to the action of undesirable microorganisms that feed on it. Maize is naturally quite a dirty crop, harbouring yeasts and moulds in dying leaves and rotting tassels for example. Left unchecked, they can interfere with preservation.

One major source of losses occurs when maize heats in the presence of air in a process known as aerobic spoilage. This is predominantly caused by yeasts feeding on the silage and producing heat and dry matter losses in the process. After the initial yeast activity, moulds join in too. The fact maize is a tubular/stalky crop also means it’s likely air will be contained in the clamp despite rolling, and air will ingress into the face at feed-out. It’s this air that brings yeasts and moulds to life.

Invisible losses from poor quality fermentation can also account for as much as half the overall DM losses. In total, 10-15% DM losses are likely, up to 25% in very poor silage. Considering how much it costs to grow, and the cost of replacing losses with bought-in feed, this is something farmers can ill afford.

The focus should be on minimising the number of undesirable microorganisms that get in the clamp and inhibiting the growth of any that do. This can be helped by leaving 15cm of stubble, focusing on clamp sealing and using a dual acting, proven silage additive to drive the rapid production of beneficial acids in the clamp, creating a stable pH and reducing the activity of spoilage organisms. 

The dual-acting additive Ecocool, provides a tailored dose of Lactobacillus plantarum MTD/1 to support rapid fermentation, and a second beneficial bacterial strain, Lactobacillus buchneri PJB/1, which has been specially selected to inhibit yeasts and moulds and help prevent aerobic spoilage. Its use is a no brainer this season for anyone looking to protect margins.

By Amanda Clements, Technical Business Manager for Volac