Pioneer Takes Specialized Approach to Inoculants

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Forage, Pioneer Hi-Bred, World Dairy Expo

When it comes to forage inoculants, Pioneer believes that one size does NOT fit all.

“Just like we have right product, right acre with corn, soybeans and alfalfa, we have right bacteria, right crop,” says Alan Patterson, Dairy Specialist with Pioneer in Wisconsin. “Like our 11H50, we found specific lactic acid strains of bacteria that will drive that pH done very quickly on alfalfa.”

Pioneer has a number of incoluant offerings and they are continuing to do research to bring even more products to the marketplace. “We try to have something in every category,” Patterson says. “We have products for both haylage and corn products specifically. And then we’ve got our fiber technology line-up which includes 11CFT for corn silage, 11AFT for alfalfa haylage and 11GFT for grasses or cereal grains, so it’s not as simple as ‘here’s a bottle, put it on your forage’ anymore.”

And picking the right one can make a big difference. “If you look at the high feed costs and how we can impact that with our inoculants and helping dairymen make those right choices, particularly with the size of the dairies we’re dealing with, we’re talking tens of thousands of dollars to the bottom line,” he says.

Find out more in my interview with Alan from World Dairy Expo: Alan Patterson with Pioneer