Feeding bailed corn stalks

[john250]

Can you inject liquid protien into the stalk bales?? I've heard of guys around hear doing it a few years ago but I've never fed em.

Grass hay is sometimes covered with poly, sealed off and then anhydrous ammonia pumped under the poly, allowed to stand several weeks and then fed. A lot of these corn stalks are alread sky high in nitrates so I'd be afraid to feed any of it as it is without a test, let alone treated with anything. Best thing is to just realize it's low quality roughage and supplement accordingly.

Injecting molasses is also done, but I have no experience with that. I have fed some cornstalks. It is a desperation measue. The nutrient vs weight means you can only haul short distances. Cows love to pick through the bales, but in the end they leave most of it. It is best net-wrapped, as the bales want to fall apart.
Cubes are much more nutrient dense. 5 lbs of corn/day is pretty cheap when you consider the calories in there. I spent a lot of money feeding the herd due to terrible local weather a couple of winters ago. I know nutrient density travels cheaper.
I'll justify my decision with this. When I was buying feed I had too many head for my resources and cows were cheap. I caught a break, and although I ended up selling some for cash flow later I got a good healthy rise in cow prices to help me out.
I don't think I would feed them at the price they are now. Better to be out from under that burden. Unless you think they will go "a lot" higher.

 

[TexasBred]

Molasses only makes it more palatable. Doesn't help with nutrient densities at all. A total waste of money. Corn is high energy, low protein. Cubes, high protein, medium energy. Bought some corn for the deer feeder today and had to give $10.20 a bag.. 8% protein....... 20% cubes were $8.75. Figure cubes will be $10 by Oct 1 but good cows may double in price in 18 months.

 

[1982vett]

Molasses only makes it more palatable. Doesn't help with nutrient densities at all. A total waste of money. Corn is high energy, low protein. Cubes, high protein, medium energy. Bought some corn for the deer feeder today and had to give $10.20 a bag.. 8% protein....... 20% cubes were $8.75. Figure cubes will be $10 by Oct 1 but good cows may double in price in 18 months.

Deer and horses........doesn't matter.....

 

[spinandslide]

Molasses only makes it more palatable. Doesn't help with nutrient densities at all. A total waste of money. Corn is high energy, low protein. Cubes, high protein, medium energy. Bought some corn for the deer feeder today and had to give $10.20 a bag.. 8% protein....... 20% cubes were $8.75. Figure cubes will be $10 by Oct 1 but good cows may double in price in 18 months.

I noticed cubes have jumped about a dollar more per 50lbs recently..Im paying about the $8.75..used to be about $7.50..

My husband said they used to feed corn stalks to his cattle and used the molasses to make it more appealing to them and encourage them to finish the hay off.

On a sidenote..the gentleman I bought my bales from is feeding these to his horses.. :shock: ..would have thought it would almost un edidable for them..

 

[TexasBred]

Spin...most horses or spoiled. Given time to adjust you'd be surprised at what their system can process. You just have to let them know "this is all you're gonna get....stalks....enjoy" . :lol:

 

[TexasBred]

Molasses only makes it more palatable. Doesn't help with nutrient densities at all. A total waste of money. Corn is high energy, low protein. Cubes, high protein, medium energy. Bought some corn for the deer feeder today and had to give $10.20 a bag.. 8% protein....... 20% cubes were $8.75. Figure cubes will be $10 by Oct 1 but good cows may double in price in 18 months.

Deer and horses........doesn't matter.....

Vet I guess I should shoot one occasionally for the freezer. I keep protein pellets from Feb thru July then feed corn the rest of the year just to have'em around. Bring in a lot of turkeys too. About all they ahve to ear around here now. As for the horses. Wouldn't have one on the place.

 

[spinandslide]

True TXBred..a friend of mine is buying a load for her horses..Ill be curious to see how they eat it.

man we bought them from said "Im sure horses will be eating ALOT of types of forage they arent normally fed this winter" and I agree with him.

I have two ponies that could probably survive on dead grass and alfafla pellets..they are round as beach balls..I call them my droughtmasters..