grinding alfalfa and cornstalks

[tlakota]

The plan is to grind some feed tommorrow. Ive got good quality alfalfa and a lot of cornstalk bales. I havent ever ground cornstalks with anything so im kinda curious how it will work. Have any of you ground cornstalks with other hay and mixed it. Ill be feeding it to bred cows and they will have free choice of protein tubs and mineral. My plan is to grind 1 alfalfa/2 cornstalk bales. Would that be a pretty good ratio?

 

[Andy]

what wieght are the bales? With my bales I would go 1alfalfa, 3 cornstalk.
With the lick tubs you should still have plenty of protien.

 

[enge0376]

We grind a lot of cornstalks at the feedlot I work at, they grind up very well. Right now we have been grinding 1 cornstalk bale for every 2 or 3 straw bales for the straw pile that we use as a roughage source in the finishing ration. I would say that ratio sounds pretty good too me, but I'm no expert I guess.

 

[tlakota]

alfalfa are 1600-1700 and cornstalks are 1000 im guessing...my only concern is ill be fence line feeding it with an electric fence....they eat it by putting their heads under the wire then i just move the wire closer to the pile accordingly...will they clean it up pretty good? because when i feed just straight cornstalks they eat all the leaves and husks but leave the stalk part...thanks

 

[Andy]

If you grind it through a smaller screen they will eat it alot better. Those wieghts are very close to mine I would try 3 to1 and see how it goes.

 

[tlakota]

alright thanks andy

 

[Denny]

alfalfa are 1600-1700 and cornstalks are 1000 im guessing...my only concern is ill be fence line feeding it with an electric fence....they eat it by putting their heads under the wire then i just move the wire closer to the pile accordingly...will they clean it up pretty good? because when i feed just straight cornstalks they eat all the leaves and husks but leave the stalk part...thanks[/quote

We feed corn silage that way with electric fence but we ration it to them. When they have access to full feed they do walk some into the mud but the labor savings may be worth it.

 

[tlakota]

denny,
ive thought about feeding silage like that but dont know much about it...does it work pretty good?

 

[Denny]

denny,
ive thought about feeding silage like that but dont know much about it...does it work pretty good?

It works good but dont make your pile much over 6 feet tall.We had a pile about 12' high one time and it caved in on about 10 cows killed everyone of them it was on easter sunday and I was late doing chores after church.Much over a 100 cows and the timid ones wont get much even when the boss cows are done eating they tend to hang around the pile.