corn Stalks= silage

[john in wa]

I was given a acre of corn stalks. the corn was hand picked so the stalks are about 10 feet high. I went and cut a couple pickup loads yesterday. when i tried to feed them to my cows they just ate the leaves and any ears of corn that was left on them. So today i got a old lawn mower and got it running. i then mounted it to a 50 gallon barrel. I then cut a hole in top of the mower deck and hand fed the stalks into the mower. it done a great job of chopping the stalks.. i did a test run on the cows and they ate every thing i put in the feeder. Now i wonder if i fill my barrels and pack them down good and tight and cover the tops so no air can get in if it will actually turn into silage and if i will be able to store it for winter. also what is the feed value of corn stalks. I tried a google search but all i could find was grazing corn stubble after harvest.

 

[john in wa]

Here is a couple pics. the first one shows the mower attached to the barrel and the 2nd is the chopped stalks.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

It may work, but you REALLY have to pack it down in the barrels or bags to get ALL the air pockets out. Something really heavy like an anvil or some sort of heavy metal object you can use to squish or tamp down the feed would work. Then make sure the barrels are sealed up tight so no air can get in so they can allow fermentation for a few weeks.

It's worth a try.

 

[john in wa]

I think i will do one barrel and see how it turns out. they really like it now as soon as i chop it. so i think i will feed it to them fresh chopped and daily. just to keep it all from going to wast.. Even the little calves seem to enjoy it.

 

[freemotion]

That is so creative! Pretty herd, too!

 

[jhm47]

Here in South Dakota there are thousands (maybe millions) of cornstalk bales put up each fall. The corn is combined, and the farmers go out and put cornstalks into big round bales that are used during our winters. When we put out a bale, the cows eat parts of it, and use the rest for bedding. The big hollow stalks are great insulators from the cold ground, and the cows quickly learn to lie down on them. The husks, leaves, cobs, and the occasional ear with corn still on it are quickly eaten.

 

[john in wa]

We have one local farm that bales corn stalks. I bought a couple from them just to See how the cows liked it. It was more bedding than anything. They picked at it and i helped break it open for them and then it just turned into a nice pile of bedding that they liked to lay in.. On cold sunny days. but for $35 a bale i guess it was worth it for bedding. I just hate to see all the stalks going to waste. if i had a pit i can get 6 tons of fresh corn silage delivered for $300 a load.

 

[Beekissed]

This is my second year of saving my corn stalks for my sheep. About mid to late winter they really seem to appreciate the roughage the stalks provide and they don't seem to waste much.

I left the corn right on the stalk this year, so they will get the added treat of the corn as well.

 

[kstaven]

Our goats love the corn stalks and the cows take care of the rest.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

The only thing I can think of that might be a limiting factor is the dryness. Are the stalks matured and dried like they are for combining field corn? If so, it might not ferment properly due to low moisture. Sounds like it might be worth a shot though.