Non farmer question re:chopping corn for silage

redtom · Oct 26, 2012

I am a collector not a farmer but am familiar as a landowner since our farm has been rented all my life and I spent a lot of time working for area grain farmers. We don't have any cattle operations in our area. My question is about corn for silage and the land. My FIL, may he RIP, always did things the old way. Not for nostalgia but because he was cheap. He only passed a year ago. Was still using a dump rake for hay, a wooden wheeled grain drill, and never used chemicals (they cost too much). Now that he's gone a few neighbors and relatives are planting some of his land and I'm not even sure if my bro' in laws are getting rent. One small patch of corn is quite impressive (this was in late summer when I visited) having been planted with modern pesticides and fertilizers. My bro'in law who fancy's himself a farmer said he refused to let the man chop the corn for silage because it would ruin the soil. He would only let him pick it or combine it. With proper management, chopping corn will not harm the land will it?

IHRedRules · Oct 26, 2012

The only real issues I see are that with silage, you are taking nearly all of the plant off, leaving little cover (except the root/short stem) to prevent erosion during the winter. Lastly, by taking all of the plant, you are not adding residue/organic matter to the soil, which can affect the soil tilth. Corn is one of the best producers of residue, so by taking it all off, you aren"t helping build the soil.

Janicholson · Oct 26, 2012

Corn ruins the soil. (so do all crops that are harvested and taken away) Corn is one of the hardest crops on soil if planted corn on corn on corn, especially if chopped. It takes significant effort to manage the nutriant levels and organics in soil treated that way. It is done often, and done well. It is also a way to tap out someone else's land with little investment, then drop the lease. I would allow the operator to do it if (and only if) best practices were followed, and documented as part of the rental agreement. Jim

formerly ny bill · Oct 26, 2012

chopping the corn for silage for 1 year will not ruin the soil. doing so for several years with proper management will not ruin it. chopping the corn long term, with no management, will lower organic matter, tilth, and probably fertility, and negatively affect the soil. that is why crop rotation and use of green manure especially when no cattle manure is available, will allow corn silage production without "ruining" the soil. organic matter changes slowly. if the corn was needed for feed, one or two years wouldn't hurt.

just another old geezer · Oct 26, 2012

All you need is proper managment, that is to replace the nutrients that you take out of the soil. the rule of thumb around here is that 1 bu of corn per acre takes out of the soil 1-.3-.4 ( 100 bushels takes 100-30-40) if it is taken off as the whole stalk that goes up to 1.2-.4-.7 (120-40-70 for the same 100 bu corn per acre). Replace what you take out of the soil and you will be just fine

El Toro · Oct 26, 2012

We always rotated the crops. The following year we planted soybeans where corn was grown. When you have cattle a lot of of what you take off like silage will become manure and we spread a lot of it. Hal

donjr · Oct 26, 2012

Jim, I don't want to start an argument, but I have been cutting silage off ground in a continuous corn on corn rotation for about 25 years now. I also fertilize to test, and put manure on every second or third year, I use no-til practices, and the ground gets a cover of cereal rye every year, although this year I am experimenting with Daikon radishes as a cover. I average over 20 tons per year on silage, and after filling the bunks, combine any extra acreage. I can't go by last year because of a drought in this area, but year before last I averaged 186 bushels, and last year just over 100 off the combine. The soil is just a growing medium. If the nutrients are put on, we have a good harvest every year. You are right, though. It does increase the management load- but with the cost of ground, fertilzer is cheaper than a poor yield on mined soil. It pays to keep the fertility up.

RodinNS · Oct 28, 2012

Mabey your inlaw needs to decide if he wants to run someone else's business, watch a viable crop get chopped... or look at the goldenrod grow. If he's in a livestock area, chopping corn is the predominant method of harvest....

Rod

Non farmer question re:chopping corn for silage

redtom

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IHRedRules

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Janicholson

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formerly ny bill

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just another old geezer

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El Toro

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donjr

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RodinNS

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