McKnight Farms of Roland has won the Manitoba Corn Growers Association’s (MCGA) annual corn yield contest for the second year in a row with a yield of 245.29 bushels an acre.
That’s almost five per cent higher than McKnight’s 2009 winning yield of 198.17.
It was with the same corn hybrid, Pioneer Hi-Bred’s 39D97, grown again in 30-inch rows.
The bushel weight was also higher in 2010 at 55.36 pounds compared to 51.6 in 2009, slightly under the preferred minimum of 53.5.
Yields of the second-and third-place finishers also exceeded 200 bushels an acre.
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Baker Colony Farms of MacGregor placed second with 234.86 bushels an acre, with Pioneer 39Z79 in 30-inch rows. The bushel weight was 59.44 pounds.
Hank Enns Farms of Altona was third with Pioneer 92D97, which yielded 206.69 bushels an acre and had a bushel weight of 58.72.
Yields in the MCGA competition do not represent the average from a field or even an acre of corn. Instead competitors are allowed to select parts of rows, which are hand picked and harvested. The idea when the competition first began in 1971 was to demonstrate the yield potential for corn in Manitoba. Since the methodology is consistent one year to the next, the results track the steady climb in field-scale yields.
1992 was the first year yield in the contest exceeded the 200-bushel-an-acre mark. In 2008 four of the 59 entries exceed 200 bushels an acre, compared to 17 out of 93 in 2007.
In 2009, McKnight came close to 200, which was impressive given it was a poor year for corn production. Almost half the Manitoba crop was written off by crop insurance due to immaturity and widespread mould.
So much corn was written off in 2009 the provincial average was just 39 bushels an acre, according to Manitoba Agricultural Service Corporation data.
Last year was much better with Manitoba corn yields averaging 108 bushels an acre – well above the 10-year average of 85 and not far off the record 118 bushels set in 2007.
“For the amount of water we had (in 2010), it turned out better than we thought on average so we were pleased with that,” McKnight Farms employee John Bergen told reporters after receiving the yield award.
“The heat units collected through the year were more to average and we pulled off a decent yield with good (lower) harvest moisture.”
Here’s a summary of the remaining top 10 results:
4) Pritchard Bros. Ltd., Treherne, Hyland B18R, 188.63
5) R&GVothFarms, Altona, Pioneer 39D97, 187.99
6) Blumengart Colony, Plum Coulee, Pioneer 39D97, 187.42
7) Blumengart Colony, Plum Coulee, Pioneer 39D97, 183.85
8) Bermar Farms, Altona, Pioneer 39B94, 178.63
9) Larry Friesen, Altona, Pioneer 39D97, 178.23
10) George Wytinck, Cypress River, Hyland B22R, 174.81.
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“Fortheamount ofwaterwehad (in2010)it(corn) turnedoutbetter thanwethought,on averagesowewere pleasedwiththat.”
– JOHN BERGEN
