[tbone95]

If I continue to try to salvage any of my intended silage corn out from between vast areas of impassable mud...........The corn is way to dry for typical "silage". Will it still be a decent part of feed, mixed with hay, maybe some other grain? I'm thinking it won't keep into the warm months next spring, but that shouldn't be an issue. I guess the question is will it keep and feed OK for a few months this winter?

Also thinking about taking the flail chopper over some late growth hay fields and dumping that right into the silo and packing it down too. We've had several frosts now, any further thoughts there? Really need to stretch out my feed stocks!

 

[Blk Angus]

What kind of moisture are we talking? if its overly mature you should have an energy content out the wazoo. I have seen cereal silage that was put up in the 50 - 52% range that was ok feed, it did ferment at that moisture although the nutritionist wasn't convinced it would. I have also heard of guys who hired water trucks to add a little water to the feed as it was getting unloaded in the pit just to help the cause but that's not a great option.

 

[Ed_Hunter]

Have you thought about grazing it standing. wait until the ground is frozen, put up electric wire to limit the cows to a few acres at a time.

 

[tbone95]

Ed, I suppose that's an option for a lot of people but I don't think for me.

I don't know what the moisture is, there's still some in the ears, still some in the lower part of the stalk, but I don't have a meter that reads anything in that range.

I was thinking, if cows would graze it, what's the difference if I chop it and feed it out? Even if it doesn't ferment? I realize my my losses would be higer, I think, especially if it warms up in the spring? Yes / no?

After a while, when I get a little more and the ground is frozen, I will combine the rest.

 

[herby04]

Tbone you wouldn't happen to be around the croswell area would you? Pretty darn wet in that area from what I hear.

 

[tbone95]

herby, no...where is that? In the thumb, like you?

 

[tbone95]

Just looked at the #&%@ ^&%^$# weather forecast again

Seriously, is this pattern ever going to end?

Would really appreciate some thoughts on the flail chopping of the hay fields at this point, and still the viability of chopping a little of that corn.

Thanks all.

 

[herby04]

It is about half an hour south of the Huron county line or half way between Ruth and Port Huron. Friend of mine just finished chopping corn in that area. Self propelled chopper pulling the truck being pushed by a four wheel drive tractor. Once they couldn't do that anymore they carted everything out to the road. Not much tiled land in that area.

I am about three miles West of Ruth. We are wet here to but just enough to irritate a person

 

[Jordanw93]

Corn will still ferment/ensile fine, even at low moisture levels 40%+. Im not sure how dry your corn is but I wouldnt worry too much about it spoiling, just give it a good dose of inoculant if you are able to.

 

[tbone95]

I can't catch a break this year 'cept for bad ones. Corn field is still too muddy for my equipment to get through, so brother in law was available Saturday so we were going to put up a bunch of grass/hay. 45 minutes into the day, he hit a rock with the flail chopper that broke a flail off and somehow sent it through the auger and blower. It is trashed big time! Guess I'll be waiting for the ground to firm up and chop that dry corn.

 

[allandairy]

I chopper corn one year in mid November at -10 oc
The out sied of the pit made silage but the middle was like the day it was chopped
It work ok for that guy as he was halling it 40 mile back to his farm and repacked it at his plac in March

 

[tbone95]

I chopper corn one year in mid November at -10 oc
The out sied of the pit made silage but the middle was like the day it was chopped
It work ok for that guy as he was halling it 40 mile back to his farm and repacked it at his plac in March

I guess that's my real question though, what's the big deal if it doesn't "make silage"? Should I care? Will it still feed beef cows OK? If it is so dry it remains "as chopped", then isn't that about the same as grazing it?

 

[allandairy]

I would say chop it it will at least get the corn cracked and not let them s##t it throw them

 

[Ben Heide]

I guess that's my real question though, what's the big deal if it doesn't "make silage"? Should I care? Will it still feed beef cows OK? If it is so dry it remains "as chopped", then isn't that about the same as grazing it?

Chopping it even if it doesn't ensile is better than grazing it in terms of use, but may not be cheaper. It will still be good feed, just not quite what you are used to. You may need to change your mineral program to suit, but your feed tests should help with that.

One of the biggest advantages to chopping is palatibility, as allandairy refered to. I wouldn't hesitate to make a pile.

 

[tbone95]

Thank you ben and allandairy. Soon as it quits raining........................