Maize green forage is also called maize silage or green fodder, an essential feed source in dairy animal farming. It is grown in major regions of Pakistan due to easy availability, suitability, and high nutritional content for different climates. Luckily, we have good weather and climate in Pakistan, so farmers depend on maize green forage to increase the productivity of meat and milk and maintain the health of animals.
What is Maize Green Forage?
Maize green forage is the leafy section of the maize plant, as it remains green for a long time. It also changes colour to a full green and mature colour. When maize green forage grows and due it its height, it becomes difficult to enter the field with conventional machines. Green forage is rich in energy, protein, Fiber, and moisture, which makes it a perfect choice for goats, horses, sheep, buffalo, and cows. This plant, including leaves, stalks, and grain, is chopped and fed fresh to animals-chopped maize green forage remains fresh for a long time and used later.
Nutritional Benefits
Maize green forage has low protein content (3-13% of DM) & high Fibre, depending on harvesting stage. It is rich in starch, and so it is considered the best source of energy for dairy animals. It is highly valuable due to its balanced nutritional profile. It is also used as a cover crop for major essential crops. It has protein, vitamins, and minerals for the growth of dairy animals and production. Animals eat more once encouraged, as it is more palatable, which improves efficiency.
It has many benefits, but some key advantages we have mentioned below: –
- High Nutritional Value
- Rich in energy, carbohydrates, and fiber
- Helps improve milk yield and fat content
- Suitable for young and adult animals
- High Yield Per Acre
- Produces large biomass in a short duration
- Gives multiple cuttings in some varieties
- Perfect for farmers seeking quick returns
- Excellent Silage Crop
- Naturally high in sugars, perfect for fermentation
- Produces high-quality silage that lasts all year
- Maintains nutrients even after storage
- Drought Tolerance
- Needs less water as compared to other green fodders
- Perfect in semi-arid and warm regions
- Safe and Palatable
- Animals like to eat maize because of its sweet taste
- Easily digestible and supports rumen function
- High energy content (helps milk yield and weight gain)
- Rich in vitamins and minerals (Strengthens immunity and overall health).
- Good protein levels (important for growth and lactation)
- Digestible Fiber (Helps maintain a healthy digestive system in dairy animals).
Cultivation Practices
Maize green forage is one of the most common green crops for animals in small, medium, and large-scale farms. Maize green forage is used as fresh, used in the form of silage, and given in a slightly dried form to cattle, horses, buffalo, goats, and sheep. Animals stay strong, gain weight, and produce milk. Farmers choose maize as per their requirements, so they do proper management and planning. It is based on soil type usage and climate.
Farmers know where it is required. Fo example, some varieties that grow early are grown well for a short season, and on the other side, high-yield varieties are suitable for areas where a lot of other varieties are grown quickly.
Some important cultivation steps include:
- Soil preparation
- Sowing.
- Irrigation
- Weed control
- Harvesting
Let’s explore in detail
Climate
- Grows best in warm weather
- Ideal temperature: 25–35°C
- Sensitive to frost
Soil
- Prefers fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- Soil pH: 6.0–7.5
- Avoid waterlogging to prevent root rot
Land Preparation
- Plough the field 2–3 times
- Remove weeds and break soil clods
- Level the field for uniform irrigation
Seed variety, selection and Sowing
- Hybrid fodder maize
- Early-maturing maize varieties
- Silage-specific hybrids with broader leaves
Seed Rate
- 40 to 50 kg per hectare (approximately 16–20 kg per acre)
Sowing Time
- Spring: February–April
- Monsoon: June–August
- Autumn: September–October
Sowing Method
- Use seed drills or manual sowing
- Row spacing: 20–25 cm
- Seed depth: 3–5 cm
Fertilization and Nutrient Management
Adding fertilizers
- Apply well-decomposed farmyard manure (FYM)
- Add Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (NPK) as recommended
Irrigation Management
- First irrigation immediately after sowing
- Regular irrigation every 7–10 days, depending on the season
- Avoid over-irrigation
- Critical stages:
- Germination
- Knee-height
- Tasseling and silking
Weed and Pest Control
- Use pre-emergence herbicides if needed
- Manual weeding at 20–25 days after sowing
- Keep field clean until canopy covers the ground
Pests that can damage
- Stem borers
- Armyworms
- Fall armyworm (FAW)
Pest Management
- Use light traps
- Use recommended insecticides
- Rotate crops to reduce infestation risk
Harvesting Maize Green Forage
Best Harvesting Stage
- For green feeding: 60–75 days after sowing
- For silage: at milk to the early dough stage
- This stage offers the highest sugars and best fermentation quality
Harvesting Tips
- No need to delay harvest; over-mature maize becomes fibrous
- Chop maize into 1–2 cm pieces for better intake
- For silage, compact tightly to remove air and seal properly
Basic steps of maize green production
- Chop the entire maize plant
- Fill in the silo pit or bags layer by layer
- Compact each layer to remove oxygen
- Add molasses if needed
- Seal airtight for 30–45 days
- Silage becomes ready with a sweet, pleasant smell
Muhammad Arif CEO, MBA in Finance and Marketing from South Korea University. 15 years plus experience in Agriculture Waste and Animal Feed Production, Facility Management & Export