Shrinking margins and high land costs mean making money in farming is harder than ever. For exactly that reason, one of livestock farmers’ most critical priorities is how to grow more feed, more reliably and more economically. The answer? An increasing number of Albertan farmers are looking to corn.
“Corn acres are expanding because beef and dairy producers are realizing it to be a preferred feedstock over conventional short-season cereal forages. Corn’s higher yield means more productivity per acre, which makes a huge difference to livestock producers’ bottom lines,” says Georges Uebelhardt, a livestock nutrition consultant who owns Heartland Feeds in Ponoka, Alta. and offers silage and grazing corn hybrids from Maizex Seeds.
Since every field in Alberta is unique, achieving success with corn depends on choosing the right hybrids to suit one’s specific priorities, management, and acres. That’s where Maizex Seeds fits into the equation.
Maizex is an all Canadian, by farmers, for farmers seed company. What sets Maizex apart, other than the fact that it’s owned and governed by the farmers it serves, is its emphasis on meeting local needs: local field trials, locally targeted varieties, and a commitment to investing as much effort as it takes to help farmers find the best fit for each field.
Southern and central Alberta are well-suited for growing today’s high-yielding, high-quality grazing, silage, and dual-purpose corn hybrids. For many acres in these regions, the right match starts with corn borer protection. The easiest, most cost effective, and most environmentally friendly way to manage corn borer is through genetic resistance. New resistant hybrids for the 2024 growing season include MS 7822DBR and MZ 2344DBR, while core performer MS 8022R remains a good fit for many operations as a complement hybrid.
“For most producers in the lower part of the province, corn borer protection is priority one. From there, choosing the best hybrids is about what germplasm has the best fit—what’s going to give the best yield, agronomics, and standability given a specific set of growing and management conditions,” says Stephen Denys, Maizex director of market and product development.
A little further north, growing conditions favour early maturing hybrids. New product highlights for this year include the dual-purpose MZ 1231DBR, as well as MZ 1397DBR for grain, both of which offer yield benefit over predecessors MZ 1200DBR and MZ 1340DBR.
Finding the right fit for your operation is as easy as finding a local Maizex dealer. Check out our website today to find one.
