Esko Poutiainen

Prospects of growing maize in Finland

Maize has been studied in Finland during several periods. Virtanen (1938) worked with maize in the 1930s. His experience was positive and encouraging. At the Agricultural Research Centre in Tikkurila near Helsinki, results obtained in the 1950s were disappointing, owing to drought and early autumn frosts. In 1962, rainy and cold weather did not favour the growth of maize and research workers concluded that maize was not a suitable crop for Finnish growing conditions (Yllo, 1962). Maize research received a new impetus from the spectacular results of Mr. G. Brflninghaus on his private farm in South West Finland. In 1974 the Finnish Maize Committee was founded to sponsor maize research in Finland once more. The new start of maize research was also spurred on by the new, high yielding varieties and new cultivation techniques developed in maize growing countries. At the moment, the cultivated area occupied by maize in Finland is tiny. Maize cultivation is mostly confined to South West Finland and is practised on beef cattle farms. The cultivated area is 40 50 ha.

Grass intake and behaviour of young calves fed on pasture or zero-grazing

Comparisons were made between two groups of four Ayrshire calves, one group feeding on pasture and the other fed indoors on cut grass as the only food between 8— 18 weeks of age. For determination of pasture grass intake of clipping method was compared with the indicator technique, chromium oxide being used as an indicator. Studies on behaviour were made to clarify the development of the ruminating function of the calves as well as the effect of cut and pasture grass plus a concentrate supplement on their behaviour. The digestibility of organic matter of pasture grass was I—4 %-units higher than that of cut grass. Intake of grass indoors was approximately 1940 g DM per animal per day. With the clipping method the average intake of pasture grass was 1355 g DM per animal per day and with the indicator technique 2061 g. The latter value seemed to be nearer the correct one, if a conlcusion is to be drawn from the live weight gain of the calves. Time used for intake of grass increased rapidly once the liquid feedingperiod was ended, that is during the whole experimental time up to eight of the 14.5 hours of the observation interval. Calves at the age of 26—37 days ruminated for approximately 116 min in eight hours. Supplementation of concentrates considerably decreased the time spent eating and increased the time spent ruminating by a small amount.