Harvest Maize

As part of the LCV's Network estimation harvest date, the Trial and Training Centre is following up on the maturation of a number of maize varieties as per annual custom. As in past years, 2 plots are being monitored in northern Limburg. One plot in Oudsbergen and one in Bocholt.
Within the LCV - network, 5 varieties of varying earliness were sown at different locations.

Information plots Trial and Training Centre for Agriculture

Location 1
Bocholt
sowing date: 7 May 2025

Breeding: rye

Location 2
Oudsbergen
sowing date: 8 May 2025

Breeding: Grass (cut removed)

Dry matter content whole plant at the 2 sites

Bocholt

Oudsbergen

LCV news release (25/08/2025)

The first maize has since been harvested. The reasons for chopping are diverse. Some plots were sown early, have well-developing cobs and are therefore ripe. Other plots, however, are being harvested because of the drought. The crop is already so barren that waiting makes little sense. In terms of cobs, there is great variation in these plots. Sometimes the cob is still decent and ripe, in other cases cobs are still in the milk stage. In a parched crop, the cob will mature only slowly, or not at all. Some plots still look quite green but the cobs there are usually already sufficiently ripe. Especially with a high cob share, the dry matter percentage is often higher than expected.

Harvesting maize that is too dry, at a dry matter percentage of 38% or more, poses risks to good conservation. Especially with drier maize, much attention should be paid to driving and covering. Do not make the silages too high so that , once the silage is open, a high feed rate can stay ahead of the heating.

On average, the dry matter percentage is 32.7%*. Compared to last week, this is an increase of 4.8% across sites .
In the table below, you can find the measured dry matter percentages from sampling on 21/8 measured across 10 sites.

The Poperinge site was sown as early as 18/4 and shows the highest figures. Except for later variety SY Frejya, all varieties there have a dry matter percentage of more than 40%. Also in Hoogstraten, the figures for the earliest varieties P7179, KWS Curacao and LG32257 are above 40% dry matter. SY Opale and SY Frejya are also approaching the 40% mark with a value of about 37% and are consequently also more than harvest-ready. At the Hoogstraten site, an increase of 9.4% was the highest. The ultra-early variety P7179 with the exception of the later sown locations Oudsbergen and St.-Niklaas was harvest ready everywhere.

For the other varieties, the picture varies according to sowing dates and location. In general, the early varieties KWS Curacao and LG32257 are ready for harvest (yellow background) or approaching their harvest moment (green background). For SY Opale and SY Frejya, the figures are slightly lower but the harvest moment is getting closer for these varieties as well. At the early sown locations Oosterzele and Langemark-Poelkapelle and the later sown locations St-Niklaas and Oudsbergen, the dry matter percentages for the 4 other varieties are 30% or lower.

So - even with later sowing and later varieties - don't wait any longer to start assessing your plots. Use the guidelines in the sheet behind the link below. To farmer and contractor : have fun at work when harvesting, and keep it safe!

*Week 34, collaborate on the LCV network: PVL Bocholt, PIBO Tongeren, Hooibeekhoeve, VITO Hoogstraten, LTCW Sint-Niklaas, ILVO, PHBottelare, Inagro, VTI Poperinge