soil nutrients lost from baling cornstaks?

Dave from MN · Nov 11, 2011

Have a couple guys that want to make corn stalk bales on shares. will not be stalk chopped so mostly will be leaves and the rest. I would get 1/2 of what ever they bale on the acres I choose. This obviously adds up to alot of tonnage. The acres that the stalks will be baled off will be going into soybeans next year, corn year after that, chicken breeder litter was applied this past spring and will be applied again after the beans next fall. It is ligher soils. Am I depriving my feilds by taking off the corn stalk bales? My beef cow manure obviously would be going back on, but should I be asking for the manure from the guys taking 1/2, as they both rent out there tillable and spread there beef cow manure on that land. If it isnt a big deal I am not too concerned, BUT if I will be depriving my soil what it needs I may not want to do the 1/2 share thing.

northvale · Nov 11, 2011

my understanding is 97% of dry plant weight is carbon from the atmosphere. Figure out the balance equivalent fertilizer value and then consider it from that value.

Bill(Wis) · Nov 11, 2011

I would ask for manure back to replace the organic matter and the fertilzer you're losing. That would be an ideal world for you. The manure is all processed and ready to go to work. Dry corn stalk stover is considered to contain 22 lbs of N, 8 lbs of P and 32 lbs of K per ton. To me, it has great value as surface residue through the winter and then as organic matter for the future. The only way I'd ever let mine go would be to get manure back in return.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 11, 2011

I would be most concerned with the loss of the organic matter. The fertilizer can be replaced, but is a lot harder to gain the organic matter back. Most soils, at least in my area need the organic matter for the fertilizers and chemicals to work at their best.

sws55 · Nov 11, 2011

Your county or state extension services should have some estimates for the resources in corn stalks as well as rates for baling, hauling and manure nutrient estimates. During the first oil crisis in the mid 1970's Iowa State University's extension service made nutrient estimates for corn stalks when farmers were first looking into fueling grain dryers with corn stalks. They had a rough estimate of the nutient value of the ash too.

If Minnesota doesn't have it Wisconsin, Iowa or Illinois probably have that information on-line.

JDseller · Nov 11, 2011

Iowa University says that the stalks are worth $25-40 dollars per acre on a fertilizer basis. This is on 175 bushel corn. The organic matter loss would be low. You are only removing the loose stalks and leaves. The root system is the biggest supplier to the organic matter.

Another thing to remember is that if you do not do fall tillage and let the stalks stay exposed to sun light and the elements that the fertilizer value is cut in half the next spring. The microbes need to start work as soon as possible to turn the stalks into usable nutrients.

Corn stalk bales are bringing $22-28 per bale picked up in the field here in North east Iowa. We just hauled 1800 in for a heifer grower. At the local hay auction Large round bales of stalks are going $31-37 per bale this last week.

Many guys here are going to tub grind corn stalk bales as the cheap grass/CRP hay is in short supply and is selling for $85-90 per ton. Last year it was bringing $45-60 per ton. So the demand for good dry stalk bales and straw is strong in my area.

hayray · Nov 12, 2011

Lots of fertilizer value removed. Ohio State and Michigan State have some great info on that. Remeber, fertilizer value will be even higher for next year so plan ahead.

jm. · Nov 12, 2011

Here in central Tennesse it is considered the act of last resort. If you were broke and needed livestock feed it is accepted but all in all it just removes too many things from the soil. Most farm land here is corn,wheat/soybeans rotation.

Bill(Wis) · Nov 12, 2011

Absolutely. Only thing is: soils that JDSeller sees are "prairie soils", formed from thousands of years of decay of prairie grasses. Soils in central Tennessee are "forest soils" containng 50% or less organic matter than the prairie soils. Same as mine in east central Wis. Almost like talking "apples and oranges".

Anonymous-0 · Nov 13, 2011

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/08/01/2008/108904/Exhaust-gases-cut-fertiliser-requirement-in-Canada.htm
Here's the solution, see they are doing this in Tanzania with success.

oldtanker · Nov 13, 2011

The newest studies show that baling corn stalk is stupid! The only reason is desperation!!!!

It's all on line.....look it up!

Rick

JDseller · Nov 13, 2011

oldtanker, don't make statements that you can't back up. I personally make 800-1000 bales of corns stalk bales for my own use every year. I am willing to bet that my ground is as good today as the first time we ever baled the stalks 40 years ago.

Want to know why???? I mix in what falls out of a whole bunch of cattle each year with those same stalks and spread it back on my ground.

That being the case on my ground. You need to really look hard at any of the Universities data. Reason bring that much of it contradicts itself from one school to another.

A fact is that stalks left laying on top of the ground, exposed to the elements, until spring have very little nutritional value left in them. If you want to get the maximum good they need to be in contact with the soil microbes ASAP in the fall. Many are using the new vertical tillage tools to do this without loosening the soil too much. I personally deep till in the fall. I have all of the ground I farm laid out in contour strips so I get very little erosion.

tomstractorsandtoys1 · Nov 13, 2011

You are going to be leaving the roots and some of the stalks.I would not do the whole farm every year but baling some stalks once every couple years will hurt very little.You might even get better bean yeilds by having less residue and allowing the ground to warm up and dry ouy faster next spring.What we find nice is turning off the combine chopper and then mowing the three rows behind the combine and baling the stalks and the husks.Or if we mow everything we set our rake to do a poor job,leaving onethird of the stalks lay.

jackinok · Nov 14, 2011

Good answers here,but my concern would be the organic material. If a soil test shows you have suffecient organic matter i wouldnt worry about it. If it says you are lacking i personally would turn them under. Bottom line is only you could say on your farm. On my ground the more i can turn under the better,but if you have adequate rainfall ,enough you dont have to worry about soil moisture,i dont think it would hurt much to bale it. Organics do more than increase moisture holding capacity of course, and help the soil in many ways. But we're all in this to make money,if thats best for your bottom line ,i would say go for it,i dont think you will unless your like me are in a bad area to start with,will see any imediate problems.

mkirsch · Nov 14, 2011

What if you CHOP the corn for silage? No stalks. They're all in the silo.

soil nutrients lost from baling cornstaks?

Dave from MN

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northvale

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Bill(Wis)

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Anonymous-0

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sws55

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JDseller

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hayray

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jm.

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Bill(Wis)

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Anonymous-0

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oldtanker

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JDseller

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tomstractorsandtoys1

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jackinok

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mkirsch

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