Sweet corn silage

[Kjfred]

Didn't see much on this topic when i searched it. Anyone do it? I can get it delivered for under $10 a ton. Not sure how much of that is water tho. Just cannery waste, husks, cobs and maybe a few kernels. Would it pay vs buying hay? Feeding april calving breds with calves just taken off

 

[Dave]

There is two sweet corn processors near my old place. I never fed any in silage although I know a lot of people who did. I fed it fresh one fall when pastures were dried up. The cows loved it and did well on it. One of the processors has a reputation for having high moisture. As high as 90%. I don't believe I would totally replace hay 100%. The cannery waste I fed was put into a bunk on top of some very low grade hay. The juice from the cannery waste soaked into the hay and as a result the cows cleaned up the hay. Here it cost $10 a ton plus $10 for delivery. Had a had a silage pit I would have taken advantage of it.

 

[TexasBred]

Didn't see much on this topic when i searched it. Anyone do it? I can get it delivered for under $10 a ton. Not sure how much of that is water tho. Just cannery waste, husks, cobs and maybe a few kernels. Would it pay vs buying hay? Feeding april calving breds with calves just taken off

Even good well processed corn silage will run 65% water so this will probably be better than that. Gonna take a lot of it to add up to much dry matter and meet the needs of the cow. Personally I'd pass or use it only as an attractant if you need one for the hay. Have you had the hay tested to see if you really need to supplement it??

 

[Kjfred]

I have not tested. Not really trying to replace hay altogether just make it last longer. Its looking like i am going to be short on hay for the winter. I suppose the only way to know is either test or try it

 

[skeeter swatter]

I used it once a number of years ago.
As Dave said it has a high water content, I think mine was around 75-80 percent.
It did have a lot more corn than expected.
If I could get it for that price, I'd take it again.

 

[Dave]

The 90% that I mentioned was the test fresh. Making into silage it will leach out a lot of moisture. For "under $10 delivered" I would be looking at it real serious. Run a test on if you can.

 

[Kjfred]

I've never tested a lick of anything. I assume the extension agent would be able to help out there? Never talked to him/her either.
Guy I talked to about trucking said he feeds about 20 ton to ten cows in two weeks. I'd be feeding 10 and a yearling heifer plus 4 horses with them for the winter. Right now im putting out a 5x6 roll of hay about every 2 days.
Its $3/ton plus $150 trucking for cannery waste so at his rates thats $15/day.
I havnt priced hay but if a guy could get a roll of beef hay for $30 it would be a wash. That may be wishful thinking on the hay price tho.

 

[TexasBred]

I've never tested a lick of anything. I assume the extension agent would be able to help out there? Never talked to him/her either.
Guy I talked to about trucking said he feeds about 20 ton to ten cows in two weeks. I'd be feeding 10 and a yearling heifer plus 4 horses with them for the winter. Right now im putting out a 5x6 roll of hay about every 2 days.
Its $3/ton plus $150 trucking for cannery waste so at his rates thats $15/day.
I havnt priced hay but if a guy could get a roll of beef hay for $30 it would be a wash. That may be wishful thinking on the hay price tho.

Better ask your friend to check his math on that or atleast check the amount of waste he has. 20 tons in two weeks to 10 cows is 285 lbs. per cow per day.....

 

[Kjfred]

Good catch. He said 20,000 lbs, not 20t. So that would make it 143 lb per day per head according to him. So at $ 9.25/ton thats $0.66 per head per day?
I'm thinking its worth trying a load.

 

[Bigfoot]

It sounds high, and labor intensive to me, I must be missing something.

 

[TexasBred]

Good catch. He said 20,000 lbs, not 20t. So that would make it 143 lb per day per head according to him. So at $ 9.25/ton thats $0.66 per head per day?
I'm thinking its worth trying a load.

Hot weather they might "drink" that much.