Welcome to Follow the Maize – an series brought to you by Volac, following Shropshire farmers Mark Fitton and Lucy Pye as they grow and manage their maize crop through the 2024-25 season. From drilling to harvest, clamp management to feeding, discover how they make every tonne of maize count.

Preparing for Harvest

Maize is a cornerstone of winter rations for Shropshire dairy farmers Mark Fitton and Lucy Pye, who farm nearly 400 acres near Whitchurch. Their 250 Procross cows are fed a 50:50 maize-to-grass silage blend – sometimes up to 70% maize – making forage quality absolutely crucial.

We’ve grown maize for 20 years or more,” says Mark. “The cows thrive on it and butterfat does well – we’re getting up to 5.3% fat and 3.8% protein.

To get the most from maize, Mark focuses on harvesting at 32–35% dry matter, with mature cobs and still-green leaves. Harvest typically begins late September or early October, prioritising clean, controlled cutting to avoid soil contamination.

Ensiling is treated seriously. The clamp is consolidated well, sidewalls are sealed with resin, and top sheets are weighed down with gravel bags and netting. Additives aren’t optional – they’re essential.

Mark now uses Ecocool, a dual-acting silage additive that boosts fermentation and protects against spoilage organisms. “With the money you spend on growing maize, why skimp on the last part?”says Mark, as to why he views an additive as an integral step.

Lessons from 2024 – Maize Harvest & Post-Harvest Planning

The 2024 maize season delivered mixed results across the UK – some crops thrived, others struggled with poor weather. But whether your maize was lush and green or starting to die back, one constant remains: preservation matters.

Even green crops contain dead material that harbours spoilage microbes,” explains Volac silage specialist Peter Smith. “And dying crops are even more at risk from heating and mycotoxins.

That’s why Mark Fitton uses Ecocool to minimise dry matter losses – which can reach up to 20%. The additive combats spoilage and maintains feed value, particularly important if grass silage is lower in energy.

This year, Mark began planning well before harvest:
✔ Pre-harvest DM and starch analysis
✔ Contractor and Ecocool booked
✔ New clamp sheets and gravel bags ready

Once the maize is in, Mark immediately begins prepping ground for the next crop: tackling compaction with a Sumo, applying slurry or muck and ploughing if weather allows. Lime is added if required, typically using Calciprill.

Producing good maize isn’t easy,” Mark says. “It’s expensive, so you need the tonnage and the quality to make it pay.

Sowing Seeds for Silage Success

Despite a dry spring, Mark’s 2024 maize got off to a record-breaking start. Drilled on April 26, the crop emerged in just 9–10 days, reaching 5–6 leaves by mid-May.

Normally we expect 12–14 days to emergence. The warm soil helped, and there was just enough moisture further down,” says Mark.

Ahead of drilling, he applied potash, followed by DAP fertiliser with the seed. A brief rain helped activate the pre-emergence herbicide, giving the crop a clean start. Later, a foliar feed with trace elements was added to enhance vigour.

This year also saw a jump in seed rate: from 45,000 to 50,000 seeds/acre. “We’re chasing extra yield,” Mark explains. “It might delay maturity slightly, but we’ll see at harvest.”

Meanwhile, last season’s maize silage – Mark’s first treated with Ecocool – has stored and fed well, forming a key part of summer buffer feeding alongside grass silage.

Boost Milk with Smart Maize Silage

Unpredictable weather and volatile markets make quality forage more important than ever. With maize silage losses potentially reaching 20% due to spoilage, Ecosyl silage expert Ken Stroud outlines three costly harvest mistakes to avoid:

Mistake 1: Harvesting too late

Maize that’s dying back loses nutritional value and brings more spoilage microbes into the clamp. Ideal DM: 30–33%, with green leaves and mature cobs.

Mistake 2: Skipping additives

Silage doesn’t conserve itself. Microbial activity can cause heating and inefficient fermentation. Solution: A dual-acting additive like Ecocool, proven to protect silage quality, reduce heating, and suppress mycotoxins.

Mistake 3: Cutting too low

Low stalks are low in nutrition and high in spoilage risk. Cut height: Leave 15 cm stubble. Chop length:Aim for 1.5–2.0 cm (or 1.2 cm for drier crops).

The Numbers Add Up:

Growing a crop of maize typically costs around £700 per acre for a yield of around 17 tonnes. Treating it with Ecocool costs only £1.42 per tonne, which translates to roughly £24 per acre.

Let’s look at the potential losses:

10% loss: 1.7 tonnes at £55/tonne = £93.50 loss per acre
20% loss: 3.4 tonnes at £55/tonne = £187 loss per acre

Even if you value your maize silage at a lower price of £50 per tonne, treating it with Ecocool is still a wise investment.

The savings from using an additive are clear.

Conclusion

Across the season, Mark Fitton’s approach is built on attention to detail, early planning, and protecting his investment. From rapid crop emergence to smart additive use, every step helps build a silage resource that supports milk performance and feed efficiency.

Follow more from Mark and Lucy on Instagram: @thefarmslife

Read the Follow the Maize series here.