Cornstalk Quality After Weathering

By Jerry Volesky

Fall rain and snow are good for wheat and next year’s crops, but it does have its drawbacks. One challenge is its impact on cornstalk feed quality.

While this fall has been dry, there have been some areas that received some rain and it is likely there will be more rain or snow over the next few weeks. Rain reduces cornstalk quality several ways. Most easily noticed is how fast stalks can get soiled or trampled into the ground if the fields become muddy.

Less noticeable are nutritional changes. Rain or melting snow soaks into dry cornstalk residue and leaches out some of the soluble nutrients. Most serious is the loss of sugars and other energy-dense nutrients, which lowers the TDN or energy value of the stalks. These same nutrients also disappear if stalks begin to mold or rot in the field. Then palatability and intake also decline.

Another factor that affects cornstalk grazing is wind. Throughout the fall, there always seems to be those days where excessively high winds will easily blow corn leaves and husks off the field. This of course, can impact the amount of feed, and after grain, those leaves and husks contain the highest nutritional quality.

There is little you can do to prevent these losses. What you can do, though, is to closely monitor cow and field conditions while adjusting your supplementation program accordingly. Since weathering by rain reduces TDN more than it reduces protein, consider the energy value of your supplements as well as its protein content.

Weathered cornstalks still are economical feeds. Just supplement them accordingly.

Storing To Reduce Hay Losses

By Ben Beckman

With winter near, now is the time to set up hay yards for easy access if you haven’t already done so. While sorting by lots and quality is important, keep in mind how we store can also impact spoilage. Are you storing hay so losses are at a minimum?

Hay stored outside will be damaged by rain, snow, wind, and ice this fall and winter. The average round bale may lose up to one fourth of its original nutrients during storage, but these losses can be reduced to less than 10% or so.

If we can’t get bales inside or under a tarp, giving space for air to flow around the bale to dry them out is better than placing them side to side where rain, snow, and ice will gather and get trapped. Stacking uncovered will create a similar problem. Worst of all is placing round bales on their ends so moisture is able directly enter the bale.

Does snow drift around your bales? Bales placed in east-west rows often have drifts on the south side. Hay next to fencelines or trees can get extra snow. As snow melts it soaks into bales or makes the ground muddy. Plus, the north side never gets any sun so it's slow to dry. This year, line your bales up north-and-south for fewer drifts and faster drying as sunlight and prevailing winds hit both sides of the row.

Most important is the bottom of your bales. Always put bales on higher, well-drained ground so water drains away from them. If necessary, use crushed rock, railroad ties, or even pallets to elevate bales to keep the bottoms dry. This also will reduce problems getting to your hay due to snow drifts or mud.

Plan now to store bales outside right. Use a single row of bales end to end, along with consideration for row orientation, and ground surface drainage for the best outcome.

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