ie 4—Com Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 9,1993
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igi
GEORGE F.W. HAENLEIN
Extension Dairy Specialist
University of Delaware
NEWARK, Dei. You have a
stand of com still in the Held, left
in a sorry-looldng state by this
summer’s drought. What is your
best or most economical course
for this crop?
Green chopping is one option,
but the possibility of nitrate levels
above safe limits caused by the
corn's stunted growth is an im
portant consideration. Laboratory
testing of drought-damaged com
before feeding as green chop is an
absolute must While cattle and
sheep can digest low levels of ni
trates without harm, higher levels
will induce illness.
When laboratory tests show ni
trates up to 1,000 parts per million
(ppm) (or 0.1 percent on a dry bas
is), usually no ill effects result. At
nitrate levels between 1,000 and
3,000 ppm, it’s safer to give this
feed to non-pregnant animals on
ly. When feeding pregnant ani
mals, dilute the feed with safe for
age at half and half.
Above 5,000 ppm (or 0.5 per
cent) in dry matter, nitrates will
Table 1. Value ($) of Drought Corn Silage (35% dry matter/ton)
if kernel then probable and if corn kernels are priced
yield might feeding value
be in in VTDN
bushel/acre: will be
120 and
more
(=normal)
In grain bodies,
aluminum makes Sense .
CHECK OUT THESE FEATURE S/BENEFITS
• Up to 40% lighter than steel, for greater payload
• Designed for long life
• Resale value
• Corrosion resistant, never needs painting
• Appearance to complement any truck
• Complete list of popular options, including
tailgates, tarps and sides.
Committed to the Agri Transportation Business
Consider Options On Com Handling
produce rapid, heavy breathing,
frothing of the mouth, diarrhea,
frequent urination, staggering,
convulsions and death. Some
times, acute cases have been saved
by quick intravenous injection of
4 percent methylene blue solution
at 100 milliliters per 1,000 pounds
bodyweighL Additional treatment
with vitamin A injections at 60 to
100,000 units per cow per day has
also been helpful.
Ensiling is another option for
drought-damaged com; if nitrates
are present, ensiling can reduce
the amount by half. But watch for
brown nitrous oxide gas flowing
out of vertical silos it’s deadly
to breathe. When you suspect the
presence of nitrous oxide gas,
don’t take chances. Test the silage
before endangering animals and
people.
Perhaps you are short on forage
this year and you plan to buy com
silage or green chop from your
neighbor. What’s a reasonable
price? Feeding value of com sil
age depends on kernel content,
and market price determines the
silage price.
Table 1 shows the potential
• ' y
7 ' -i
EBY
Table 2.
How
bad?
Terrible and
no grain
Very bad--
about 25 bushel
kernel yield
Bad--about
50 bushel corn
Stressed some 14
--75 bushel
corn
price range under present condi
tions from about $l5/ton for poor
silage to $29/ton for good com sil
age. The table prices are at the
farm silo.
$2.00 $2.50 $3.00 $3.50
then corn silage price should be
in $/ton
16.29 19.07 21.86 24.64
17.10 20.03 22.95 25.88
17.91 20.98 24.04 27.11
19.00 22.25 25.50 28.75
GRAIN BODIES
STANDARD LENGTHS: 12'; 14'; 15'; 16'; 17, 18'; 20'; 22'; 24’
OVERALL WIDTHS: 96" standard, 102" optional
SIDE HEIGHTS: 48" standard, 54", 60" or 72" optional
(other heights available on request)
M.H. Eby, Inc.
1194 Mam Street (Route 23)
Blue Ball, PA 17506
(717) 354-4971 (800) 292-4752
FAX: (717) 355-2114
Fertilizer Value of Drought Corn
Estimated
yield of
silage (35%
dry matter)
would be in
tons/acre
Eby Aluminum Agri-Dump Bodies pay
off in dependable long-term service.
Their all-aluminum construction means:
• Greater payload efficiency
• Maintenance-free service
• Substantially higher resale value.
Eby's time-tested design is available in
lengths to 24' for grain bodies and
lO'/j ' for general purpose dump bodies.
A long list of standard features such as
tarp rail, built-in steps, aerodynamic
uprights and Harsh hoist is complement
ed by a full range of custom options,
including tailgates, Wahpeton tarps and
grain chutes.
When you select your next grain body
or general purpose dump body, consider
the value that aluminum offers. It’s
worry-free investment in your future.
which contain this
fertilizer value in
average lb per acre:
Nitrogen Phosphate Potash
117
132
If the com is still in the field,
deduct the chopping, hauling and
silo-filling costs from the table
price at about $5 per ton, assum
ing long-distance hauling is not
involved. Com silage prices refer
to a 35 percent dry matter content.
If this differs, adjust prices ac
cordingly.
How much silage potential is
there in a particular Held? You can
expect 1 ton of drought-damaged
com silage for each 5 bushels of
estimated com grain yield per
acre. Another way to look at it is
for every poor stand, expect 1
ton of silage for each 1 foot of
com height without the tassel.
When should you plow the com
under? Three instances in which
you might consider this option are
if you can’t sell your bad com, if
100
120
you don’t need to make silage
yourself or if the crop is loaded
with nitrates. But not all is lost.
Com contains nutrients that can
save you money on fertilizer next
year.
Table 2 shows some useful
data. If a farmer cannot use or sell
the bad com at between $25 to $6O
per acre, depending on severity of
drought damages, then it’s more
profitable for them to plow it un
der. Assumed fertilizer values are
2 cents per pound for nitrogen or
phosphate and 13 cents per pound
for potash.
Thus even under the worst
drought circumstances, some com
production costs can be recovered.
Just sit down and make some al
ternative calculations.
mENGERimja i
Rheems, PA 17570 J
buying &Yelung~;
Shelled Corn I
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Feed Ingredients i
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which
translates
to these $
values
per/acre
l ini ),ui vour
silo wilhonl:
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✓ Any Gearboxes
✓ An Electric
Ring
Get Greater
Volume
Of Output
Yts, Wt Can Install
In Full Or Partially
Putt Silos.
Never climb
your silo
to change
doors.