Using cornstalk bales to extend hay supply (pics)

[SRBeef]

I am running short on good hay, as are many folks. However one positive thing about a lot of pasture in the area being torn up for corn is that you can purchase baled cornstalks fairly reasonably priced compared to good hay.

I have been putting out one stalk bale for each hay bale. Using the stalks for roughage and the good hay for protein and energy along with a Mineralyx barrel and salt block. I just bought some stalk bales last week putting out a couple before going to the Louisville show.

today I was pleasantly surprised to see how much of the stalk bales had been eaten. I was mostly looking at them as bedding. The stalk bales are just out on the ground in my winter sacrifice area near the hay cradles. Maybe the stalk will help when the frost goes out and we enter the mud season.

Here are a couple pics. It looks like these stalks should help extend my hay to get me to May 1 start of rotational grazing. These girls will start calving at the end of March, thankfully not now.

Jim

 

[Aaron]

Keep me in the loop, Jim. I might be needing to do the same thing towards the end of April. Neighbor has lots of corn stalk bales and he just treats them as bedding, so I might be able to buy some cheap.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Watch your TDN and protein Jim, especially once they calve. Might have been better to do the stretching earlier and saving the hay for later, but that's hindsight.

 

[TexasBred]

Looks like expensive bedding to me.

 

[SRBeef]

Watch your TDN and protein Jim, especially once they calve. Might have been better to do the stretching earlier and saving the hay for later, but that's hindsight.

That is my plan - calving starts around April 1, I feed hay until at least May 1. Right now I am putting out 1 stalk bale with each hay bale. Closer to calving and after calving it will be 2 hay to 1 stalk. My hay is very good. Almost too good for beef cows so this will work out. I keep my best plastic wrapped hay bales for last.

One problem with these stalk bales is that it is very difficult to get the frozen netwrap off of them. If I do this next year, which is likely, I will wrap all stalk bales with my Roundabout.

TB if you look at the photo you will see that most of the previous bales have been eaten. I actually want some of the stalks to provide a place to lie down and also to absorb manure and get my C/N ratio up for when I clean this area into compost piles after rotation starts. The stalk bales are very economical compared to trying to buy hay right now and there are a lot of them available compared to good hay as Aaron points out.

Jim

 

[KNERSIE]

The right kind of cattle do well on cornstalks, Jim you and Aaron shouldn't have any problems at all just give a good lick if you're worried, but it shouldn't really be needed.

 

[SRBeef]

Keep me in the loop, Jim. I might be needing to do the same thing towards the end of April. Neighbor has lots of corn stalk bales and he just treats them as bedding, so I might be able to buy some cheap.

I would buy a few of the neighbors stalks and try it now, Aaron. Sooner rather than later closer to calving.

These are especially good stalk bales also. Conventional cornhead and lots of husks and leaves, not just bt stalks.

Good luck.

Jim

 

[cowgirl_jenna]

Looks good Jim! Cattle do well on corn stalks pre-calving. We have always bedded with stalks in previous years, the cattle actually ate a lot of the leaves then too. This year we are feeding them the stalks, thought we may have to "sweeten the deal" to say with molasses. They wouldn't touch them at first, but once we "encouraged" them some (feed less desirable forage until some stalks are eaten), they are eating prob a good 2/3's of them (no molasses), and we bed with the rest-mostly stalks (I wouldn't expect them to eat these tough bt stalks). They are still getting avg. hay/rye hay and our balancer is good corn silage. The #1 thing is with this forage, and always really, a great mineral program. Also, some years corn stalks suck quality wise. This past fall was a great year here to make them, dried out good and no rain so they are mold free. Any way, just our method of feeding this winter, I would love a vertical mixer to "fine tune" our cattle diet, but our book-keeper, me, says no "yet".
Jenna