A few years ago, I spoke about Dent versus Flint maize varieties, Maize – Flint or Dent?

Flint has a harder pericarp/endosperm protecting the seed at germination whilst Dent has a weaker indented pericarp/endosperm. Nutritionally this should allow better access and more fermentable energy in rations.

Flint has an earlier flowering period and better tolerance to drought. Within certain areas low rainfall and marginal land this must be considered. The 2nd picture demonstrates an issue at flowering with a bright yellow cob and a white cob, this leads to lower starch levels and why a “one size fits all” approach is incorrect, with all factors needing consideration.

Chalk soils need special mention, maize does not like Alkalinity, and it slows maturity, the latest maturing crops I see out there are chalk based crops, some years they never fully ripen. Alkalinity also leads to trace element deficiencies, whilst chalk is often shallow and drought prone. Another pitfall is at drilling/germination, chalk is white bare and so it reflects heat meaning the ground takes longer to warm up. Early and Ultra Early varieties are better suited with a compromise made on tonnes grown. Better to have fully ripened good maize silage than a lot of unripened maize. A nutritionist’s nightmare!

Pioneer have one full Dent variety in the UK marketplace “7034” and it will be interesting to see how this performs over the next few years. A couple of clients grew it in 2020 but it is too soon to say whether nutritionally it has pushed on from the normal UK maize hybrids. My theory would be to trial some on better land. Dent varieties take longer to mature, and marginal land is not the area for a trial.

Pioneer do not publish data on the NIAB BSPB Forage Maize list. Varieties should be independently trialled and compared in my view, with attention given to (1) soil type, (2) desired cutting date, and (3) ruminant nutrition characteristics.

Much investment occurs in maize seeds and improvements have occurred, however sometimes the crop that has worked in the past is still the best investment for your farm. Remember companies often need to reinvent the wheel for profit gains, it suits no one to sit still, but as I have learned with nutrition, sometimes “old school” has its place. My experience from heavy clay at the back of my farm showed that KWS Sergio allowed me to achieve high starch, earlier cutting dates (for winter wheat establishment) and 18tonne of forage (per acre) year in year out. We tried other varieties and of course weather changes in the season have a massive bearing, but I do not feel this is a coincidence. We grew LG Ambition on the green sand, and this matured at the same time as the Sergio on the heavy clay meaning we could ensile together, which for a smaller dairy farm on varying soils is a key motivator.

The key to maize success is,

• Subsoiling of compacted areas (field sides, gateways and where cows have walked)
• Soil analysis
• DAP down spout next to seed
• Zinc levels/applications
• Calculated FYM + slurry applications
• A good seedbed
• Drilled at correct soil temperature (8°C lighter soils and 10°C heavier clay soils)
• Timely spray applications (particularly on sand/dirtier soils)
• Rainfall – Hampshire needs special mentioning best to go early to establish maize tap root!
• Variety – early/slow or starch/bulk
• Variety/Ripening in conjunction with soil type

Many UK maize variants are a hybrid Dent & Flint variety.

Weather is King, so do not underestimate its power!

To conclude.
Dent varieties do offer more fermentable starch however they are designed for the American market, whilst flint flower, ripen and finish better in Europe and the UK. The question you should ask is not Dent or Flint but what do I want in the clamp and what follows maize? Remember most maize plants in the UK are a hybrid of Dent and Flint, like we see with certain breeding (grass, cow genetics), hybrids can be very beneficial!

For further advice on Dairy Consultancy and Nutrition, contact Wesley at wesleyhabershon@fcgagric.com or your local FCG Office.