As part of the launch of Maizex’s new Ration 365 platform for Eastern Canada, we spoke with Stephen Denys, Director of Market & Product Development at Maizex, about how the company is uniting its silage corn and forage solutions under one program. In the Q&A below, Denys explains the thinking behind Ration 365, its benefits for dairy producers, and the long-term vision for supporting herd nutrition through high-quality seed genetics.
- What is Ration 365, and why was now the right time to launch this initiative?
Maizex Seeds is launching Ration 365 as a focus in Eastern Canada to highlight the importance of a balanced ration for feeding success 365 days of the year and how that ration starts with quality ingredients. This starts with the crops grown on the farm including silage corn and forages.
Maizex offers an industry-best corn silage portfolio featuring both high-energy or silage-specific hybrids together with a leading forage seeds portfolio. We feel strongly that Maizex silage hybrids and forages provide the best base for a balanced feed ration. To support this positioning, we are launching Ration 365 to tie both product lines and the performance they offer to dairy farmers together.
2. How does combining silage corn and forages under one program benefit dairy producers?
The benefits are twofold. First is to highlight the importance of seed genetics for feed quality and feed efficiency, which drives productivity from the ration.
Second is simplicity for farmers to access both products lines from Maizex, which also helps to maximize grower programs offered by the company.
3. What challenges does Ration 365 help solve on today’s dairy farms?
We believe feeding success, measured for example as milk per acre with dairy cows or efficient weight gain with beef cattle, starts with your choice in seed genetics. Maizex silage hybrids are tested pre-commercially through one of the largest testing programs in Canada. As a result, the hybrids we are offering dairy farmers have proven their merit for yield and quality diagnostics before they are launched. We also extensively test our forage varieties. The result is confidence in our product line, whether on the farm through measured performance or with our team at Maizex to start with.
4. How is this approach different from how Maizex previously supported dairy operations?
The big difference was initiated seven years ago with the formation of the joint venture between Maizex and Sollio Agriculture. Prior to this joint venture, Maizex was focused on corn (grain and silage) and soybeans. The joint venture provided an avenue for Maizex to commercialize and sell forage genetics throughout Eastern Canada, using a product line developed over decades to meet the needs of dairy farmers in Quebec. This provided Maizex with a track record of performance and confidence to enter the forage seed market in Ontario. Ration 365 really defines what we are now offering dairy farmers—best-in-class forage and silage corn genetics that form the basis of a high-productivity ration.
5. What is the long-term vision for Ration 365 in the context of herd nutrition and agronomy?
In addition to our forage and seed corn product portfolios and the pre-commercial testing used to ensure we are bringing the best seed genetics to the market, Maizex will be using Ration 365 as an information conduit to share our knowledge and what we learn about corn and forages production to ensure dairy farmers are maximizing both their field and barn productivity.
Email: stephen.denys@maizex.com
Phone: (519) 358-3370
