Neighbors baling cornstalks

[coachg]

I know it's a common practice in other parts of the country but not in our area of N Alabama. Has not rained in Oct and has been close to 30 days since we have got any.A lot of ponds are dry or near dry. We are now in the highest level of drought. Talked to a fellow cattleman this morning at the station as I was getting off road diesel for my tractor. He said he had been feeding hay since late June, and now was feeding 7 round bales every other day. He was asking if my brother-in- law had any more corn stalks he could bale ?

 

[TexasBred]

I know it's a common practice in other parts of the country but not in our area of N Alabama. Has not rained in Oct and has been close to 30 days since we have got any.A lot of ponds are dry or near dry. We are now in the highest level of drought. Talked to a fellow cattleman this morning at the station as I was getting off road diesel for my tractor. He said he had been feeding hay since late June, and now was feeding 7 round bales every other day. He was asking if my brother-in- law had any more corn stalks he could bale ?

Always said I'd sell out before I'd feed corn stalks. You can always guy back in.

 

[TCRanch]

When we had a drought a lot of ranchers would bale cornstalks & wheat stubble and pour liquid protein on the bales. We used the wheat stubble for bedding - and paid an outrageous price for hay. Here's hoping you get some rain soon!

 

[jedstivers]

We've baled a lot of them. I like Milo better but both work. Supplement with something though. If your in a area with cotton feed gin trash.
Use corn, ddg and and or cottonseed.

 

[skyhightree1]

I bale them too sometimes nothing wrong with filler if you have other additives imo

 

[3LEGGED1]

U do. What u gotta do.

 

[TexasBred]

We've baled a lot of them. I like Milo better but both work. Supplement with something though. If your in a area with cotton feed gin trash.
Use corn, ddg and and or cottonseed.

Milo stalks work well but are cut when green, not 2 months after the stalk dies and they have nutrition. Cows will burn more calories trying to digest corn stalks than they'll get out of them. I guess if you can grind them, mix something with high protein to give it a bit of flavor and nutrition it would be better than nothing. Cows love gin trash and it's about as good as most of the hay put up in this area.

 

[TexasBred]

U do. What u gotta do.

And sometimes that means spending money.....or selling out. Both are viable options.

 

[coachg]

These folks are trying their best to hang on! These are not weekend farmers, these folks count on their cattle for a part of their yearly income.

 

[1982vett]

Just don't get into denial over how long you can "hang on". I ended up feeding 3 years of stored hay in 18 months and reduced the herd 80% before the realization hit me that even if rainfall conditions were normal, the market prices wouldn't provide enough profit to make my efforts worthwhile.

I'm still in because the market did trend up. But in the end, the 3 years worth of hay I fed up was worth more than the cows I fed it to.

 

[bmoore87]

Very common in our parts to run cows on stalks for a couple months after pasture without supplementation. I limit feed baled corn stalks in the winter along with corn/ gluten or distillers for protein. Stalks are mainly fiber and filler but if you are feeding byproducts that's all you need.

 

[BK9954]

Not sure how they do it but its common practice in Mexico, they do it on a regular basis. But heck, almost all of their cattle are brahman and tough as heck. They dont run on auction down there, its one set price, doesnt pay to have carcass form, doesnt matter what color or age, still same price per pound.

 

[TexasBred]

Very common in our parts to run cows on stalks for a couple months after pasture without supplementation. I limit feed baled corn stalks in the winter along with corn/ gluten or distillers for protein. Stalks are mainly fiber and filler but if you are feeding byproducts that's all you need.

One stalks alone they'll survive....but betcha they lose two body condition scores every winter as well.

 

[Banjo]

It may not be possible, but if you could graze the corn fields it would be better IMO than just feeding the corn stalks.
In grazing they are gonna get some grass around the edges and maybe a few edible weeds etc.....green stuff to go along with the stalks.
Years ago Dad would bale corn stalks when we had a dry summer and hay was scarce. We always seemed to lose a cow or two during the winters we fed corn stalks. I figured it was from the high nitrates. High nitrates would be something to be aware of.

 

[Brute 23]

My understanding is the best thing about baling corn stalks is the grass in between the rows and on the turn rows... not the actual stalk. We have fed Milo stalks before. Cows love it but don't try to store it and slow play it. It goes from great to compost very quickly.

I've seen people spend a small fortune on junk hay trying to keep cattle thru the drought. They were far better off with a quality feed or even alfalfa. There is not a bale of Bermuda in the world worth $80+ IMO.

 

[bball]

It may not be possible, but if you could graze the corn fields it would be better IMO than just feeding the corn stalks.
In grazing they are gonna get some grass around the edges and maybe a few edible weeds etc.....green stuff to go along with the stalks.
Years ago Dad would bale corn stalks when we had a dry summer and hay was scarce. We always seemed to lose a cow or two during the winters we fed corn stalks. I figured it was from the high nitrates. High nitrates would be something to be aware of.

:nod: plus access to all that corn that the combine missed. Some years there is so much corn out there, you have to regulate how long you leave them out grazing corn stubble. Especially, years when high winds or poor weather has laid over a lot of stalks. Once they have picked all the corn out, it's time to supplement.

 

[bmoore87]

Very common in our parts to run cows on stalks for a couple months after pasture without supplementation. I limit feed baled corn stalks in the winter along with corn/ gluten or distillers for protein. Stalks are mainly fiber and filler but if you are feeding byproducts that's all you need.

One stalks alone they'll survive....but betcha they lose two body condition scores every winter as well.

If you left them on stalks all winter without enough area to graze then yes. Otherwise for the month or 2 not much. They go for corn then husks and lastly leaves which when they start getting leaves gone you need to get them off or supplement since the new GMO stalks are like wood. Last year cows probably gained condition on stalks due to the amount of down corn from the wind...people were having acidosis problems for the first time in years.

 

[jltrent]

I know it's a common practice in other parts of the country but not in our area of N Alabama. Has not rained in Oct and has been close to 30 days since we have got any.A lot of ponds are dry or near dry. We are now in the highest level of drought. Talked to a fellow cattleman this morning at the station as I was getting off road diesel for my tractor. He said he had been feeding hay since late June, and now was feeding 7 round bales every other day. He was asking if my brother-in- law had any more corn stalks he could bale ?

Corn stalk bales beat a snow ball.

 

[TexasBred]

Very common in our parts to run cows on stalks for a couple months after pasture without supplementation. I limit feed baled corn stalks in the winter along with corn/ gluten or distillers for protein. Stalks are mainly fiber and filler but if you are feeding byproducts that's all you need.

One stalks alone they'll survive....but betcha they lose two body condition scores every winter as well.

If you left them on stalks all winter without enough area to graze then yes. Otherwise for the month or 2 not much. They go for corn then husks and lastly leaves which when they start getting leaves gone you need to get them off or supplement since the new GMO stalks are like wood. Last year cows probably gained condition on stalks due to the amount of down corn from the wind...people were having acidosis problems for the first time in years.

I guess the rule would then be "graze corn fields during windy years". ;-) During normal years corn pickers don't miss a lot of corn. and after a frost or two most of the grass doesn't have much nutritional value. Guess I just have a big hang up about forcing my cattle to try and eat something so unpalatable and with so little nutrition especially when totally limited to nothing but BALED cornstalks.

 

[jedstivers]

One stalks alone they'll survive....but betcha they lose two body condition scores every winter as well.

If you left them on stalks all winter without enough area to graze then yes. Otherwise for the month or 2 not much. They go for corn then husks and lastly leaves which when they start getting leaves gone you need to get them off or supplement since the new GMO stalks are like wood. Last year cows probably gained condition on stalks due to the amount of down corn from the wind...people were having acidosis problems for the first time in years.

I guess the rule would then be "graze corn fields during windy years". ;-) During normal years corn pickers don't miss a lot of corn. and after a frost or two most of the grass doesn't have much nutritional value. Guess I just have a big hang up about forcing my cattle to try and eat something so unpalatable and with so little nutrition especially when totally limited to nothing but BALED cornstalks.

I like to have wheat, rye or oats sown in stalks. It's unreal what cattle can do in that.