Grinding corn cob and all?

[Starting late]

If I can buy some down corn for the right price could I grind it cob and all for winter feed for dry cows? Would it be OK with some 32% protein added for fattening steers? Would it hurt to grind the husks too? I have a PTO powered grinder and I think I can buy the corn laying flat in the field for a good price. Please any of you with experience let me know what you think.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

It makes a pretty good feed ground that way, we used to do it that way when we raised corn. Add the protein and it would do the steers just fine.

 

[Bez+]

If I can buy some down corn for the right price could I grind it cob and all for winter feed for dry cows? Would it be OK with some 32% protein added for fattening steers? Would it hurt to grind the husks too? I have a PTO powered grinder and I think I can buy the corn laying flat in the field for a good price. Please any of you with experience let me know what you think.

It sure won't hurt them - might as well do it if your bank book can stand it.

Bez+

 

[grannysoo]

We ground our own feed years ago, and that's how we did it. Go for it.

 

[mitch2]

We are still old school.

We grind cob corn for feed out. This has worked well for us.

Michele

 

[Starting late]

Thanks to you all for the input. I aquired the grinder in exchange for baling some hay. I have to cut costs everywhere I can in order to be able to continue raising cattle. I fear that it won't be long and the big companies will own the cattle business just like they own the hog industry. I will even post here my thoughts on grain farming and say that within a few short years ADM, Cargill, BASF, and others will start buying farm ground and contracting the old owners to farm it for them using their seed, fertilizer, and chemicals. It is a sad thing that Government allows monopolies like those to control everything and pay their employees so little. Just think of how may businesses that big "WM" store has destroyed. Everywhere they go they destroy local businesses and the families who built them. I am working hard to save what I think is a good way of life and a good set of values. It is a little difficult to understand why the Govt that we support with so many tax dollars tries so hard to put obstacles in the path to our survival.

 

[shorty]

Ground ear corn makes good cattle feed . If are picking corn up off the ground make sure it is dry before you grind it. If you don't grind more than what you can feed in a few days a little moisture won't hurt . If it laid on the ground through some heavy rain it could be pretty wet . normally the husk would be good to grind along but if it's wet you might want to take it off and put the corn someplace that it gets air so it can dry .

 

[J. T.]

I worked for a family owned feedmill years ago and we had plenty of customers that would bring in ear corn in the shuck. We'd add CS meal and salt and people wintered cows very successfully on that type of feed.

 

[dawnrogerl]

Corn cob and all, is the only way we feed back in the 60s. I am going to look for a 2 row corn snapper and go back to that method. I think it makes a lot of sense and will save cost. Yes, a little more labor but I work cheep

 

[BamaCowboy]

Feeding cob and shuck is excellent feed. I would carry a long pickup bed full and have it ground adding 100 # of csm, 50#salt and around 100# molasses, winter my cattle on it along with free choice 100#csm-50#salt.
I would do it today if there was a grinding mill still open around me.

So I got me a portable mixer serves my purpose

 

[msscamp]

If I can buy some down corn for the right price could I grind it cob and all for winter feed for dry cows?

Yes, you can.

Would it be OK with some 32% protein added for fattening steers?

Why would you want to add that much protein? It's way more than cattle need, and the excess is just going to go out the back end. Seems like you might be spending more money than you need to.

Would it hurt to grind the husks too?

No.