Cornstalk baling

[HayDR]

Yes it hard on any baler but many farmers do bale cornstalks. I wonder if you corn stalk baling harvesters use your own equipment or hire it out?
What Are Corn Stalk Bales Worth? | Beef Magazine

 

[Tx Jim]

I've baled corn stalks with my baler during yrs of drought. I baled 650 bales of stalks last yr with my '05 JD 467 rd baler that has over 26,000 bales on the monitor. It baled over 1000 grass hay only bales this yr.

 

[ovrszd]

Sounds like a very well kept machine Jim.

 

[5030]

I too have baled cornstalks but only out of necessity. Bailing combined cornstalks is a dirty, nasty job, hard on the equipment and hard on you. I guess if you like filth, cornstalks are ok. No need this year, plenty of hay.

 

[Hay Dude]

I won't do it unless it was absolutely necessary. It was offered to me 3 years ago and I turned it down.

 

[oosik]

Hmmm - never heard of baling corn stalks. Probably because corn is not a major crop in this area. Those who do have corn fields just seem to disk the stubble.

I wonder - how does baled cornstalks rate as livestock feed. Compared to field grass hay.

What makes baling corn stalks such a nasty job and hard on equipment?

 

[Tx Jim]

oosik
Amount of dirt in raked stalks & size of the stalks is very hard on baler belts & tractor/baler tires. Plus dirt/stalks are very abrasive on pickup attachment teeth & inside of baler. I've heard some stalks test 6-7% CP but for cattle they sure beat a snowball . When feeding stalks it a large challenge to get net off the bale because when one cuts net the stalk bale explodes!!! In corn belt a lot of baled stalks are utilized for animal bedding.

 

[oosik]

Thank you for the reply & info Tx Jim. Up here we don't have the huge fields to bale corn stalks. At least, I've never seen any baled stalks.

 

[cqaigy2]

I've not seen baled corn stalks either. I thought it was usually chopped and packed into a big plastic bag, for silage i'm guessing.

 

[Tx Jim]

You're welcome. IIRC Vermeer makes a "Corn stalk special" baler specifically for baling stalks.