3 Review(s)

African tall maize/Fodder maize (Zea mays) is green Fodder, a high energy feed, better than most other tropical forage crops. It's having more dry matter (17.65 %), crude protein content (11-13 %) and more number of leaves/plant. Crop matures at around 60-75 days, is harvested only once and does not require much labour and no machinery costs. It may grow well between 8 oC to 45 oC temperatures but mostly the range is 20 oC to 35 oC. Prepare the field like ridge and furrow methods, should maintain spacing for 30 x 15 cm, Seed rate is 16 kg/acre. Plant height is 9-11 feet in general. Irrigate immediately after sowing and give life irrigation on the third day and thereafter once in 10 days. Hoeing and weeding are done as and when necessary. Harvest the crop when the cob is in the milky stage. Green fodder yield is 16 t/acre. It's highly use to green Fodder, silage, stacks, maize flour . It's good fodder to cow, buffalo, goat and sheep. Note: 1. The crop is ready for harvest at silk stage for Fodder purpose, which continues up to milk stage. The early harvesting though produce good fodder but yield is reduced. In case of late harvesting, the Fodder quality is impaired. 2. It's suitable for mixed cropping. When sown mixed with Cowpea, use 12 kg seed of Cowpea and 12 kg of Maize per acre should be sown in paired alternate rows (2:2). 3. Silage: Its acts as a FODDER BANK which ones made could be used round the year. Silage is as nutritious as green fodders because it preserves the nutrients in their form and hence it's as good for animal feeding as green forages itself.