All rights reserved. I have a hard time feeding in stalks that have been picked with a chopping head. Jaime Beamer May 3, 2022 0 3,930 7 minutes read One of the most common questions we hear from clients is thinking about achieving hay independence, "How much hay can I expect from my 'x' acres?" Although we would like it to be something like this, if there is a simple The answer to the question, not at all. The stalk and cob in corn residue are unpalatable and will not be consumed unless the bale is ground. Related: Corn Stalk Bales An Option For Cost Saving. Other people in my area get anywhere between 60 and 200 bales depending on how much fertilizer they use, the organic content of the soil, etc. The yield increases are hypothesized to be from more even plant stands and/or from increased soil mineralization. Chopping corn stalks: $11.25 per acre: Raking corn residue: $7.15 per acre: Baling corn residue - no wrap (large round bales) $11.20 per bale: Is the price of the cornstalks or other crop residues enough to offset the lost nutrients that the decaying stalks would have added to the soil? Regents of the University of Minnesota. When corn residue is moldboard plowed in a corn-soybean rotation, the amount of corn residue that needs to be retained is greater than the amount produced with a 200 bushel corn crop. Reduce tillage following residue harvest. Derived from Vagts. All rights reserved. Assuming a stover yield of 4 tons/acre and a removal rate of the stover at 65% you would remove 5,200 pounds of corn stalks per acre or 2.6 tons. This simple calculation doesnt factor it in simply because distances, and thus cost, will differ dramatically depending on where you are located. What is Your Corn Fodder Worth? - Penn State Extension Today, well tackle corn stalk bales and understanding how to value this line item in your feed inventory. The potential to sustainably harvest crop residues increases when using a conservation tillage system. In corn-soybean, harvest corn stalks every four years. PDF Estimating a Value for Corn Stover - Iowa State University Extension 249 43K views 6 years ago Producers are looking to use every resource available to help feed and care for their cattle. I have ended up with anywhere from 5-10 5' x 5' bales per acre. HERE locally hay can clear more per acre than corn or cotton. So, is cornstalk harvest worth it? Use a protein supplement that is nearly all natural and is mostly rumen degradable. Corn cobs consistently have more density and moisture than corn residue, and collecting cobs allows growers to return the remaining residue to the soil. (2008). Utilizing corn stalks for cow feed a no-brainer | Feedstuffs It also keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation and it traps snow on the field. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. I look forward to hearing from you! Baling Cornstalks | Successful Farming Not necessarily for each field. The plant will react as the plants genes interact with its surroundings. The dimensions of large round bales make a difference in many cases. A typical field has approximately 1,500 pounds of dry corn cobs per acre, representing about 20 percent of all corn residue. The nitrogen replacement may also be flexible due to potential increased mineralization that can occur due to the change in C:N ratio with residue removal. The nature and properties of soils (13th ed.). Rees, Jenny, Marty Schmer, and Charles Wortmann. No. The yield increases are hypothesized to be from more even plant stands and/or from increased soil mineralization. What value should be put on baling corn residue? possibly the 75 bushels per acre with early planted corn fields that could approach the 125 bushels per acre, but there were many other fields heavily damaged by excessive rainfalls, which may yield as low as 30-40 . The soil and the nutrients available must support so many plants, and each field and farm is distinct. Subscribe to receive top agriculture news, Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters. Valuing Corn Stalk Bales | UNL Beef Cows fed these lower quality bales will need some extra energy, too. Cows fed these bales should do very well up until calving with just corn stalk bales and adequate protein supplement. Figure 1 shows that a 200 bushel per acre corn crop produces 4.22 tons of dry matter per acre as corn residue (assuming a harvest index of 0.53). This opportunity cost of buying or selling on the market should also be considered as we make crop production and feeding decisions. Leaf nodes in the center of the stalk have the ability for these shanks to expand. LEGOs, the Eiffel Tower, and the John Deere 7000-Series, Claas announces new round and square balers. *High cost includes replacement of all nutrients. In addition, theres minimal spoilage when storing corn cobs outdoors. Slightly twist the ear if necessary to get it to pop off the stem. If the cost of trucking distillers grain or corn stalk bales in is more than the value provided, of course other options need to be considered. Roots from winter cover crops are extremely effective at scavenging residual soil nitrate and adding carbon to the soil. Number of ovules per row ranges from about 50 to 60. William Edwards, Iowa State emeritus ag economist, worked on this problem in the worksheet here: extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/pdf/a1-70.pdf. This means its not sustainable to harvest corn residue in this system. So, to improve feed value, grinding cornstalk bales is common. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination Cornstalks and other crop residue also contribute to soil organic matter, says Charles Shapiro, UNL extension soils scientist. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 61, 120A-125A. A 150 bushel per acre corn crop produces about 2.5 tons of harvestable stover. The silk must be dry and brown. For every 40 bu/ac of corn, approximately one ton of residue is produced. PDF Baling Corn Residue - University of Nebraska-Lincoln If the cost of trucking distillers grain or cornstalk bales in is more than the value provided, of course other options need to be considered. This site is owned and operated by Darian Lorat. Usually get 2-3 raking and 4-5 cutting ahead with a disc mower. Its that time of year where the corn fields have been harvested, and the stalks are either being baled or grazed. Since then, he has been feeding corn silage. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. Dry pregnant cows need 7-8% protein in their diet so high protein bales will need only a little protein to adequately care for the cows; however bales with 3% protein will need quite a bit of supplement to keep cows in good condition. Even if being selective with what we harvest by only baling the 2-3 rows behind the combine, we can only count on around 5% crude protein and up to 45% total digestible nutrients (TDN). If there is more than 8 to 10 bushels of corn per acre on the ground, a grazing strategy such as strip grazing to control corn . Three general approaches can be used: What is the value to the purchaser, based on feedstuffs replaced by corn stover? However, note the amount of corn residue needed to protect against soil erosion is less than the amount needed to maintain soil organic carbon levels. I also got around 80 acres of milo (never been harvested, failed to make a head) I am going to cut and bale. Depends on a lot of factors, including rainfall and soil fertility. When stalks are chopped and baled you usually will remove anywhere from 50-80% of the total corn fodder in the field. However, scientists prefer soil organic carbon because it can be measured with more accuracy. A matter of balance: Conservation and renewable energy. One ton corn stalks replaces 1.16 ton of hay and requires an additional 0.22 ton distillers grain. With these values, combining stalks with distillers grain in a diet may be the most efficient use. Avoid removing more than 2 tons/acre of residue and maintain at least 2.4 tons/acre of residue. Compared to harvesting all of the residue, removing a smaller quantity of material from the field only when the cobs are harvested reduces the impact on long-term soil productivity. Posted 10/8/2017 22:50 (#6296380 - in reply to #6296207) Subject: RE: How many corn stalk bales per acre? Dec. 8, 2018. When calculating the cost of removing residue, consider the fertilizer costs for replacing the nutrients removed with the residue. Attendees at Iowa Women in Agriculture Conference, attendees at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, Attendees walk the Farm Science Review in London, Ohio. One last cost to consider is the opportunity cost of selling corn residue vs. keeping it and feeding it out. Factors like erosion control, soil health impacts and other ecosystem services are hard to calculate and could potentially raise the cost per ton quite a bit depending on how you value them. Leaving the remaining stalks restores the soil with much-needed organic matter. Nebraska Direct Hay Report, USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, NE Department of Ag Market News, https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/viewReport/2935. Im hoping for around 5 per acre with a 4x6 baler. Rees, Jenny, Marty Schmer, and Charles Wortmann. In modern cornfields in the United States, farmers can plant 30-inch rows of 30 to 35 thousand seeds per acre, resulting in many individual plants. In agricultural fields, growers can maintain soil carbon levels by returning residue to the soil, rotating crops with pasture or perennials or adding organic residues such as animal manure, green manure or sewage sludge. How Much Nutrition is in Those Baled Corn Stalks. Corn Stover Baling - Phosphorus and Potassium Removal Crop rotation also influences how much corn residue can be harvested. Well dive into this next. It includes formulas so that in today's volatile marketplace, you can plug in your own values for the various nutrients, Wortmann says. Baling stalks is harder on equipment than putting up grass or alfalfa hay. Adjusted to last spring's fertilizer prices, that's about $26 in nutrients per ton of stalks. Row number and kernel number per row are two important yield components in corn. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Enter a zip code to see the weather conditions for a different location. Partnership will add value to new commercial wheat varieties from KSU, Study shows novel phytase improves pig performance, profitability, Tariffs lifted on U.S. nut, apple exports to India, Iowa Women in Agriculture Conference set for Aug. 3, Sauk County prepares to host Wisconsin Farm Tech Days, Farm Science Review demonstration plots planted. Rotate residue harvest among fields so you dont remove residue from the same field every year. They can also be used as livestock bedding. This additional labor and equipment cost comes in at around $20-25 per ton. You may be surprised at how variable the protein and energy content can be in corn stalk bales. baling, storing, labor, etc.) Figuring out the true value of corn stalk bales can be a bit tricky, but breaking down the costs can help arrive at some numbers for consideration. What's the value of corn stalk bales? | Beef Magazine When calculating the total cost of removing residue, keep all of the expenses in mind. But what's it worth? Corn is a heavy feeder, requires full sun and plenty of water to generate crispy and tasty kernels. Figuring out the true value of cornstalk bales can be a bit tricky, but breaking down the costs can help it make sense. Viewing a thread - Tons of Grass Hay per Acre - AgTalk It is preferable to harvest at peak ripeness and then keep it in the refrigerator before it can be used. If you consider that its the correct time to harvest corn, hold the stalk with one hand. Beckman is a Nebraska Extension educator. Only harvest corn residue when fields yield over 180 bu/acre. Farm Progress Show annually hosts more than 600 exhibitors displaying new farm equipment, tractors, combines and farm implements; seed and crop protection products; and many additional farm supplies and services. (2007). Commercial maize growers only harvest the first ear because the second ear is deficient in quality and size. ". I know it can vary a lot but with just a regular corn head and running a rake over it. Soil carbon plays a vital role in maintaining soil productivity. Corn stalk bales can provide much needed feed over the winter. Ames, IA: Iowa State University. Nitrogen is the main nutrient that is a controlling factor for the overall growth and ear production.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'farmityourself_com-box-4','ezslot_6',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-farmityourself_com-box-4-0'); Depending on the variety and the warm weather, maize takes 60 to 100 days to reach harvest. Another guy been doing this and is getting 2 bales per acre on 6X5 bales. Soil organic matter is composed of about 50 percent carbon. "You drive in-between the rows with your tractor and bale mover, or whatever pickup equipment that you have, so you're not getting the wear and tear on your equipment from going over the rows," says Reis. Sweet Corn usually produces 1-2 ears of corn per stalk. Instead of spending nutrients and water on developing many, less productive ears, the plant can devote all of its energy to producing one excellent ear of corn. For every 40 bu/ac of corn, approximately one ton of residue is produced. This additional labor and equipment cost comes in about $20 to $25 per ton. Soil organic matter has an impact on nutrient availability, nutrient- and water-holding capacity, infiltration, and drainage. Each ton of corn residue contains 17 lb N, 4 lb P2O5, 37 lb K, and 3 lb S. With rising fertilizer prices, stalks this fall will contain up to $34 worth of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur per ton. Maintenance-level forage diets need degradable protein for the rumen microbes. If a corn field averages 240 bu/ac, it would result in approximately 6 tons of residue/acre. Farm Progress is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC. I am a passionate gardener and outdoor enthusiast on a journey to grow my own food. Placing a Value on Corn Stover Many farmers are asking about the value of corn stalks in response to both the shortage of forage and bedding supplies this year. Crop input prices are also increasing, causing producers and landowners to wonder what value should be put on baling corn residue. Only harvest corn residue when fields yield over 180 bu/acre. One-ton cornstalks replaces 1.16-ton of hay and requires an additional 0.22-ton distillers grain. The number and size of the ears can differ considerably from cultivar to cultivar. Thanks. Only 50% of the 2,832 lb. In the video below Rick Rasby explains how to test cornstalk bales. The stalk and cob in corn residue are unpalatable and will not be consumed by cattle unless the bale is ground.
