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Costs of growing maize for silage
See how the cost of maize silage, and maize grown under film, compares to grazed grass and grass silage.
Back to: Growing and feeding maize silage
In 2017, maize cost in the region of £1300/ha (£550/acre) to grow, including a rental value of £370/ha (£150/acre)*.
Example costings
Table 1. Example costings for maize silage and maize silage under degradable film, compared to grazed grass and grass silage
|
Grazed grass (ten-year ley) |
Grass silage |
Maize silage |
Maize silage (degradable film) |
Yield of fresh matter (t/ha) |
58 |
50 |
43 |
53 |
Typical dry matter content of crop (%) |
18 |
25 |
30 |
30 |
Yield of dry matter (t/ha) |
10.4 |
12.5 |
12.9 |
15.9 |
Establishment costs (£/ha) |
||||
Ploughing |
63 |
63 |
63 |
63 |
Cultivations |
90 |
90 |
90 |
90 |
Sowing |
30 |
30 |
45 |
45 |
Seed |
135 |
130 |
175 |
175 |
Lime |
120 |
120 |
30 |
30 |
Fertiliser1 |
52 |
52 |
180 |
180 |
Sprays |
26 |
26 |
65 |
65 |
Fertiliser applications |
12 |
12 |
24 |
24 |
Spraying |
14 |
14 |
28 |
28 |
Additional cost of degradable film |
|
|
|
320 |
Total |
542 |
772 |
700 |
1,020 |
Additional annual costs (£/ha) |
||||
Fertiliser1 |
150 |
307 |
0 |
0 |
Sprays |
10 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
Fertiliser applications |
72 |
72 |
0 |
0 |
Spray applications |
14 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
Harvest and sheets etc. |
0 |
420 |
170 |
170 |
Rent (£/ha) |
370 |
370 |
370 |
370 |
Total annual cost £ per ha (£/acre) |
670 (271) |
1,269 (514) |
1,240 (502) |
1,560 (631) |
Cost per tonne of DM (£) |
64 |
102 |
96 |
98 |
1 Purchased fertiliser price assumptions: N=55p/kg, K=61p/kg.
2 Total establishment costs divided by ley duration.
*Figures produced by John Morgan, Creedy Associates. Fertiliser costs provided by Mole Valley Farmers.
Useful links
Download our guide to growing and feeding maize silage
To order a hard copy of the Growing and feeding maize for better returns manual, please contact publications@ahdb.org.uk or call 0247 799 0069.
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