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Alan Olsen, a dairy farmer operating a 190ha farm in Stony Creek, South Gippsland Victoria, did not expect to order fifty bags of Corson Maize Booster seed After trailing 1 single bag.
When Alan was asked in 2021 if he would be willing to trial the Booster, he agreed – you don’t stay in farming this long without understanding the power of innovation. The result was a crop that matured almost two weeks faster than its competitor, with a ripe cob full of bulbous, bursting kernels.
Booster is a very early maturity, dual purpose hybrid that delivers yield stability for silage and grain growers. The product fits perfectly into the shorter growing seasons in Gippsland, Western Victoria and Tasmania, where soil temps drop fast in autumn and farmers sow perennial pastures after maize.
For Alan, the past few years have been challenging with a cooler summer impacting the season. In an unreliable climate, the early maturing Booster was the perfect solution.“In a normal year we aim to plant by November 15, and you’re cooling off around mid-March to then put your autumn grass in and get it going,” Alan said.
“The last couple of years we’ve ended up planting in December because it’s been too wet and we can’t get the crop in. Last year was a hard year across the region – we didn’t get the heat units to finish off and starch up the crop properly."
Alan now uses Booster for his silage production exclusively. When he initially trialled it against another variety on his farm, he found the Boosters’ earlier maturity and good starch content stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Encouraged by these results, Alan decided to switch completely to Booster in the following season.
“The yield I've achieved with Booster is a game changer. Last season I harvested around 19 tonnes per hectare, which delivered stable feed and security,” Alan said.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect when testing Booster, but the test results spoke for themselves, and it has become an essential part of my silage production system.”
For dairy cows, starch content is one of the primary considerations for feed choice.
The good starch content of the Booster variety contributes to the overall nutritional value of the silage, supporting the health and productivity of Alan’s herd.
“Starch is key. You need a good amount to make sure the herd is producing enough high quality milk, and that’s where the maize delivers in spades,” Alan said.
Despite conditions being less than optimal for maize growing, Alan is keen to keep at it.
“Aussie farmers all know how hard it can be to plan for climate shifts. Even though we didn’t see the greatest of conditions, the Booster crop really exceeded our expectations in terms of both quantity and quality of yield." Alan explains.
“I had never grown maize before, but I did things by the book, and it all worked out. Following our trial in the first year, a few other people in the region jumped on board and have also reported good results.
“There’s nothing wrong with other brands of maize, but Booster is better and faster. It’s a great short crop that is fast maturing, high yielding and high in starch. You’d be mad not to put it in.” Alan concludes.
Corson Maize Booster is available from accredited rural retailers. For more information, contact your local rural retailer or your DLF Seeds Sales Agronomist here.
Available from your local rural retailer, Corson Maize builds its product portfolio by utilising their global breeder relationships. Discover more varieties and detailed product information here.
