The majority of costs associated with growing maize silage are fixed and independent of yield. The higher the drymatter yield, the lower the cost per kilogram of drymatter. Use the my costs column to determine your growing and harvesting costs for this season. To move to the next box, either push the tab key or click in the next box.
			2010/11 Average costs ($/ha)	My costs ($/ha)
	Growing cost
		Cost of leased land	?
		Soli test, other	7
		Spraying out pasture (including glyphosate)	76
		Lime @ 2.5 t/ha lime + application	138
		Base fertiliser	480
		Cultivation	348
		Pioneer® brand 34P88 maize seed @ 1.30 bags/ha	444
		FAR maize seed levy ($7.20/80,000 kernel bag @ 1.30 bags/ha)	9
		Seed insecticide treatment (Poncho®*) @ 1.30 bags/ha	147
		Starter fertiliser	188
		Planting	141
		Pre emergence weed control (chemical + application)	130
		Sidedress application	69
		Sidedress nitrogen	160
		Interest on maize expenditure (7 months @ 7%)	95
	Total growing cost		$2,432
	Harvest cost
		Harvesting and stacking	968
		Covering	169
		Pioneer ® brand 1132 maize specific inoculant	263
	Total havesting cost		$1,400
	Total growing and havesting costs		$3,832
	Expected yield and cost per unit
		Maize silage yield (tDM) in the stack
		Maize silage cost per kgDM in the stack (c/kgDM)
		Maize silage cost per MJME (c/MJME)

Maize silage growing and harvesting costs assumptions

1. Cost to grow, harvest and store the crop are estimates only.
2. Average land rentals have not been included because of large regional variations (provision has been made for you to consider land rental in your own costing column).
3. The costs and benefits of regrassing have not been included.
4. Cost for Pioneer^® brand 1132 is based on inoculating a 22 tDM/ha crop.
5. Farmers growing Pioneer^® brand maize for silage for sale are usually responsible for costs up to and including the nitrogen sidedressing application.
6. Maize silage cost per MJME assumes an average maize silage energy content of 10.8 MJME/kgDM.
7. The amount of pasture lost during the maize growing season will vary between paddocks, farms and districts. The value of pasture lost during the maize growing season has not been considered in the calculation of the maize silage drymatter cost.
8. Costs are estimates based on a sample of contractor rates, other typical industry charges and product costs. All costs exclude GST and are indicative at 1 April 2010.