Baling corn stalks

[Quello]

Has anyone ever small square baled corn stalks?  I do not have a round baler just a small square and wonder if it was possible.  Also how much are the round bales of corn stalks going for in your area.

Thanks Much! <cowboy>

 

[bpwagner115]

$65 a ton here in SE South Dakota....And they are pretty hard to come by.

 

[ShowCalves2010]

Has anyone ever small square baled corn stalks?  I do not have a round baler just a small square and wonder if it was possible.  Also how much are the round bales of corn stalks going for in your area.

Thanks Much! <cowboy>

We do it every year! It's kind of hard to get the bails as tight or loose as you want them to be but for the most part, works well for us.

 

[oakview]

We used to bale a lot of small square corn stalk bales, mostly used for bedding.  I have seen big rounds advertised for $35-50/bale in central Iowa.  An ethanol plant has contracted for thousands of big square corn stalk bales in my area.  One of my neighbors said he was paid $7/bale and had no other costs.  I was told the ethanol plant, which has just broken ground, is hoping to be open in 18 months.  Meanwhile, the big squares are being stockpiled on area farmground until that time.  If you travel on I-35 through central Iowa, you can see a large group of these bales just to the west of the interstate at exit 116.  There is also a huge group of them 11 miles east of there, about 1 mile from our house.  I guess these bales will just sit there until the plant is built and opened.  

 

[bpwagner115]

Almost all in our area are ground and mixed with prarie hay, alfalfa and corn sileage. They work well as a "filler" to winter cows. I think in years past some have used them for bedding....but thats a lot of $$$ for bedding. We usually buy ours and graze our stalks....I know we have bailed a few in the past and they can be pretty hard on your bailer.

 

[ShowSimms]

We have tried bailing small squares. It seemed to clog the bailer a lot; but it is possible just not near as efficient as rounds. Big rounds are going anywhere between 10-25 dollars.

 

[Part Timer]

I made some this year for the first time. Loosen up the tension or you will be pulling the knots apart. I had problems with the stalks getting up in the knotters. Baled one load of small bales and got irritated and got the round baler out.

 

[johnmetzger]

$30.00 per round bale is the going rate in North central Ohio. I have a stalk chopper that bolts to older John Deere square balers (14T thru 336) that is designed to chop the stalks into a finer material to process the bales into a square baler. Selling for $300.00 PM if interested

 

[showsteerdlux]

I don't know what rounds are bringing price wise, but big squares are at $60/ton in Central Kansas right now.

 

[hntwhitetail]

Is the amount of dust in the big corn round bales hard on the cattles respitory system?

 

[CAB]

We used to bale a lot of small square corn stalk bales, mostly used for bedding.  I have seen big rounds advertised for $35-50/bale in central Iowa.  An ethanol plant has contracted for thousands of big square corn stalk bales in my area.  One of my neighbors said he was paid $7/bale and had no other costs.  I was told the ethanol plant, which has just broken ground, is hoping to be open in 18 months.  Meanwhile, the big squares are being stockpiled on area farmground until that time.  If you travel on I-35 through central Iowa, you can see a large group of these bales just to the west of the interstate at exit 116.  There is also a huge group of them 11 miles east of there, about 1 mile from our house.  I guess these bales will just sit there until the plant is built and opened.  

To each their own, but I can't quit thinking about the price quoted in this one. You couldn't even begin to replace the nutrients & organic matter back to the soil for $7/bale. I'm all for cheaper feed, but I know I wouldn't sell big bales for that price. I know that you were just quoting what your neighbor sold his for, but I think that a person needs to think about what they are taking off the ground.
Hay in SW Ia. has been bring $175.00/ 1st cutting alfalfa & $190.00/ bale for 2nd cutting alfalfa, $130.00/ bale for fescue grass hay. Most of the hay is going to brokers for resale.

 

[oakview]

My neighbor reported that the ethanol plant contracts a baler, they have an attachment that fits directly to the rear of the combine.  Only the part of the plant that goes through the combine is baled.  The rest of the stalk remains intact.  I was told that much of the nutrient value is left in the field and erosion potential would be minimal because of the large amount of plant matter remaining.  A soil scientist would be much more qualified to address the nutrient concerns than I.  As far as the price goes, I would have been more than happy to pay $7 for the "cream of the crop" residue the ethanol plant purchased had I known it was available.