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drought stressed corn

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strawking

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Hemingford, NE
Has anyone ever baled it? There is alot of dry land corn planted around here this year and unless it rains here soon I'm not sure it will make. I took some samples this morning to send in to check for nitrates. I think ill get a full TDN test on them also to see what its worth. Some is just now showing tassels but its only a little over waist high. If it would grow a little more I think it would be best to chop it, but that would add alot more cost. Anyone have any experience?
 
A lot of people have done it here over the years. Those bales have caused a lot of fires. People don't let them dry quite long enough after they nock it down before they roll them up. They only get hotter then.
 
Ya I have read that, that's why I figured chopping it would work better. I don't know if it would dry enough to bale ever.
 
I considered that. I have a 568 john Deere, will it work or do i have to have a special baler? And i heard some people have had trouble with the stocks poking through the wrap.
 
I considered that. I have a 568 john Deere, will it work or do i have to have a special baler? And i heard some people have had trouble with the stocks poking through the wrap.
 
A 568 would work ok baling corn stalks. You could look at putting a preservative on. Been awhile since I did some of that can't help you with the cost. Could be close to the same as hiring some one to chop. Me and dad have some dry land corn that's in the same boat even our irrigated was looking like that might be the way to go with it also. Let's us know what the test comes back like.
 
per said:
How widespread is the poor corn crop?

From what I hear, most of Nebraska and southern South Dakota for sure. I think northern Kansas is pretty much toast too.
 
katrina said:
We've chopped waist high corn.. Silage will get rid of the nitrates...

Ensiling corn should/might reduce the nitrates by about half. Could still be enough to hinder production and cause problems later. If the corn was nitrated, I would have it tested. Money well spent, cheap insurance....
 
per said:
How widespread is the poor corn crop?

Most of the heart of the corn belt is hurting bad and the far west side of the corn belt. Go to agweb.com and they have some pictures of corn around pretty sad looking. Most of the corn here in eastren colorado is growing but the 14 straight days of 100+ temps took a beating out on most of the corn.
 
LazyWP said:
per said:
How widespread is the poor corn crop?

From what I hear, most of Nebraska and southern South Dakota for sure. I think northern Kansas is pretty much toast too.

The corn here around work is shot. Several people chopping or baling it now. The pastures are real bad.
 
Began raining here early this morning. .42 @ 7am and has been raining steady ever since. Last Friday the high was 105 F...on Saturday the high was 85 F. If it continues to rain some and the triple digits stay away, we might, just might, barely squeak through this. The neighbors put up 25 acres of alfalfa over the weekend. They totalled 6 big round bales for their efforts.
 
Corn is shot here too. I know people that have baled corn and unless you grind it the cattle don't do a good job cleaning up the mess.
 
4Diamond said:
Corn is shot here too. I know people that have baled corn and unless you grind it the cattle don't do a good job cleaning up the mess.
Did they feed it free choice? I could see them not cleaning them up if the feed that way. Could feed with a processor(Haybuster) that would size it up. Thats how we feed some corn stalk bales that we got a couple years ago, ours is a Kingman processor. Had alot of corn in it, wanted to get the heck out of the way when the processor started sounded like B-B's flying around when it was slinging the corn kernels. Cows cleaned most of it up but not everything.
 
I've had good luck useing a brushog to mow stalks, kinda busts them up. Then I will rake, bale, pile, and cover with plastic. Shoot 3% anhydrus per Dry Matter. (This is important to checkbook) Cows did a decent job cleaning up when fed in a rack. I don't have a grinder but I borrowed one once and they licked them clean when ground and fed in a row. If I remember corn should be fairly dry to do this. I don't remember the protien % but I do remember being surprised. It was better than early fescue, (which is not saying much) Prices in article below are 1998, now anhydrus will run around $16/ 6'bale.
http://beefmagazine.com/mag/beef_ammonia_adds_value
 
Sure is a big differance in growing conditions we just finished spraying our corn today. Knee high or a touch over right on track.
 
Denny said:
Sure is a big differance in growing conditions we just finished spraying our corn today. Knee high or a touch over right on track.

How far north in mn are you? Our irrigated is polinating right now. It's about two weeks ahead of what we have been calling "normal" for the past few years. Don't know if the rain we had is going to help the dryland or not. It is about shoulder high. Some plants are trying to put out a tassle and some are just giving up.
 

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