Corn stalk rolls?

[Mark Reynolds]

Organic matter isn't like nutrients/fertilizer when applied to the soil. Nutrients will break down and peculate though/into the soil and is incorporated. Organic matter does not work its way into the soil. It remains on the soil surface as thatch or mulch and breaks down. Logically, it would seem like the solution to this would be to till the OM into the soil. This will work only to a limited extent and only if you have a lot of OM to incorporate. The reason being, believe it or not, you end up losing just as much if not more OM already in the soil by exposing it to air when tilling it than you end up incorporating by tillage. IF you have a HIGH amount of earthworm activity. The earthworms can and will carry the OM underground and incorporate it, but activity is lacking more often than not. The best way to incorporate OM into soil is by growing roots that then die in place.

 

[TexasRancher]

5x6 with wrap $45-50. That's what I would sell them for. That would cover fuel, wrap, wear and tear, and fertilizer take away.
I figure about $18 in wrap, fuel, and wear & tear.

How much wrap are you using 2 or 3 times around?

 

[kenny thomas]

Organic matter isn't like nutrients/fertilizer when applied to the soil. Nutrients will break down and peculate though/into the soil and is incorporated. Organic matter does not work its way into the soil. It remains on the soil surface as thatch or mulch and breaks down. Logically, it would seem like the solution to this would be to till the OM into the soil. This will work only to a limited extent and only if you have a lot of OM to incorporate. The reason being, believe it or not, you end up losing just as much if not more OM already in the soil by exposing it to air when tilling it than you end up incorporating by tillage. IF you have a HIGH amount of earthworm activity. The earthworms can and will carry the OM underground and incorporate it, but activity is lacking more often than not. The best way to incorporate OM into soil is by growing roots that then die in place.

Notice i said i had 1 acre of flat land so tillage is not an option.

 

[farmerjan]

Organic matter isn't like nutrients/fertilizer when applied to the soil. Nutrients will break down and peculate though/into the soil and is incorporated. Organic matter does not work its way into the soil. It remains on the soil surface as thatch or mulch and breaks down. Logically, it would seem like the solution to this would be to till the OM into the soil. This will work only to a limited extent and only if you have a lot of OM to incorporate. The reason being, believe it or not, you end up losing just as much if not more OM already in the soil by exposing it to air when tilling it than you end up incorporating by tillage. IF you have a HIGH amount of earthworm activity. The earthworms can and will carry the OM underground and incorporate it, but activity is lacking more often than not. The best way to incorporate OM into soil is by growing roots that then die in place.

I mostly agree, but that is not addressing the situation as it stands. And after using them I can attest to the fact that they do break down in such a way that the organic matter is increased while feeding the earthworm population. I don't doubt you are alot smarter than me, but letting it lay and be broken down WILL add to the organic matter in the passive way. It also will get tromped into the soil some so will not just lay on the surface as in a crop field where it has no hoof action either. It also will help with protecting the ground from some heavy rain and runoff.

 

[redcowsrule33]

If it was mowed there will be more stalks in it and a higher risk of nitrates. If the corn was drought stressed you might consider testing. That being said we have used them to extend our feed many a winter when hay was short.

 

[kenny thomas]

If it was mowed there will be more stalks in it and a higher risk of nitrates. If the corn was drought stressed you might consider testing. That being said we have used them to extend our feed many a winter when hay was short.

Is nitrates still an issue after its dried and 2 months of being rolled?

 

[cfpinz]

A few years back I was short on hay and bought some stalk rolls to tide me over. Fed them to two different groups of mature cows, one got a protein lick tank for supplement and the other got 5lbs of 20% range cubes per cow every other day. The lick tank group would go after the stalk bales but the cube group picked at them and left a lot. The lick tank group came out of winter looking pretty rough while the cube group looked surprisingly well. Take that for what it's worth.

I can't imagine trying to unroll stalks, best I could do was hold them over a ring while I took the net off so that they exploded in a controlled environment.

 

[GoWyo]

In last year's drought I bought some corn stalks and some wheat straw for bedding and as potential feed. The corn stalks were used about 90% as bedding and 10% feed. The straw was used probably 20% bedding and 80% feed.

 

[SBMF 2015]

How much wrap are you using 2 or 3 times around?

Yes . I do 2.3 on hay and 3.3 on stalks this year. But I knew I would be moving them a couple times. Usually I do 2.7. Cover edge. I got 120 out of a roll.

 

[bird dog]

I would sell my cows before I would use them again for feed. Waste was horrible and the breakdown of the waste took a long time. For nutrient value I would pay about $20 a piece. They do work okay in erosion spots.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Is nitrates still an issue after its dried and 2 months of being rolled?

Nitrates are stable in dry feed. If fermented ie. silage some will be degraded.

 

[kenny thomas]

Nitrates are stable in dry feed. If fermented ie. silage some will be degraded.

Thank you. Thats what I had understood.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Some of my home farm was planted into corn 7 years ago. Since then it has been chisel plowed, planted into grass, hay'd, and grazed. Go for a walk thru the fields and there is still stalk residue out there.

 

[BFE]

Bt corn stalks last a surprisingly long time.

I graze stalks. Some around here bale them and mix them with wet distillers grain in a tmr wagon on years when hay is short.

 

[TexasRancher]

Yes . I do 2.3 on hay and 3.3 on stalks this year. But I knew I would be moving them a couple times. Usually I do 2.7. Cover edge. I got 120 out of a roll.

They're doing 1.25 to 1.5 wraps where i am and moved them 2 to 3 times (once stacked mostly singular)...and they're in good shape...every 10th roll has minor stocks torn thru the net a little, one in 50 tear out a bunch (loss of roll)...but overall not much loss. Can you buy net-wrap from china (w/ good-enough quality)?...has to be a less expensive supplier out there. They're making a killing on net-wrap....it's just cheap plastic...eventually the extruders and machines that make it are paid for...price should come down.

 

[Allenw]

They're doing 1.25 to 1.5 wraps where i am and moved them 2 to 3 times (once stacked mostly singular)...and they're in good shape...every 10th roll has minor stocks torn thru the net a little, one in 50 tear out a bunch (loss of roll)...but overall not much loss. Can you buy net-wrap from china (w/ good-enough quality)?...has to be a less expensive supplier out there. They're making a killing on net-wrap....it's just cheap plastic...eventually the extruders and machines that make it are paid for...price should come down.

That isn't the results I've seen when cutting corners with wrapping bales.

 

[SBMF 2015]

They're doing 1.25 to 1.5 wraps where i am and moved them 2 to 3 times (once stacked mostly singular)...and they're in good shape...every 10th roll has minor stocks torn thru the net a little, one in 50 tear out a bunch (loss of roll)...but overall not much loss. Can you buy net-wrap from china (w/ good-enough quality)?...has to be a less expensive supplier out there. They're making a killing on net-wrap....it's just cheap plastic...eventually the extruders and machines that make it are paid for...price should come down.

While I think 3 is excessive. I made 180 bale's this fall. Didn't have any try to fall apart.
Nothing worse than having to try and clean up a bale of stalks that blew up.

 

[TexasRancher]

While I think 3 is excessive. I made 180 bale's this fall. Didn't have any try to fall apart.
Nothing worse than having to try and clean up a bale of stalks that blew up.

I agree, blown up bales suck...i don't know what kind of wrapping "brand" they're using..but's it's a confirmed 1.3 wraps on corn stalk. Two years ago there was 2.3 wraps, more net wrapping when the bales encroached, or were at 4x6' and were a lot more stalker. I think with smaller 4x5.5' rolls 200lbs lighter and the way they are combining, new machines maybe...the stalks appear to be cut/broken down at or less than 6"...few years ago stalk lengths coming out of the baler could be found at 1 to 2 foot. I don't know enough about the harvesting equipment to explain why this is. All i do know is I'm buying 4x5.5 corn stalk rolls (dense that rolls out nicely too) with 1.25 wraps. Even the stalks appear pulverised, broken apart with pith exposed. Wasn't the case two years ago. Maybe someone in here can explain why that is.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Brand of net wrap makes a huge difference.

I used some brand of net wrap called "harvest gold" I think it was and I needed 3.5 wraps on dry hay to keep from exploding. Went back to Tama and at 1.75 don't have an issues, when I use Prichett I can go to 1.25 wrap and the bales stay together just fine.

 

[simme]

I agree, blown up bales suck...i don't know what kind of wrapping "brand" they're using..but's it's a confirmed 1.3 wraps on corn stalk. Two years ago there was 2.3 wraps, more net wrapping when the bales encroached, or were at 4x6' and were a lot more stalker. I think with smaller 4x5.5' rolls 200lbs lighter and the way they are combining, new machines maybe...the stalks appear to be cut/broken down at or less than 6"...few years ago stalk lengths coming out of the baler could be found at 1 to 2 foot. I don't know enough about the harvesting equipment to explain why this is. All i do know is I'm buying 4x5.5 corn stalk rolls (dense that rolls out nicely too) with 1.25 wraps. Even the stalks appear pulverised, broken apart with pith exposed. Wasn't the case two years ago. Maybe someone in here can explain why that is.

In the old days, a corn head on the combine snapped the ears off the stalk and some of the stalk was left standing and the rest just broke up some from the mechanical beating. Another pass through the field with a stalk chopper or other means could be done to work the stalks into smaller pieces. New technology is a chopping corn head. Chops the stalk into small pieces in the head making planting of the next crop easier and quicker breakdown of the residue.