How to Bale Corn Stalks

Corn stalks remaining in the field after harvest, often referred to as corn stover, can be used as a feed ration for livestock. According to the North Carolina Agriculture Department corn stover is lower in quality than other livestock feeds and is often mixed with other forages. Removal of the corn stover also has an impact on future soil fertility. The decision to gather corn stover for feed should be considered carefully by the farmer.

Things You'll Need

  • Tractor
  • Baler
  • Harvester
  • Corn field
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Instructions

  1. How To Bale Corn Stalks

    • 1

      Bale the corn stalks using the same equipment used to bale hay during the summer. Adjustments can be made to the harvester to drop the stalks in a windrow rather than spreading them across the field if the farmer is planning on baling the stalks. Use a hay rake to form windrows if the stalks have been spread. Bale the corn stalks using the same baler used during the summer haying season.

      Some fiber and energy industries use corn stalks as an input. Bale the corn stalks as indicated in the contract with the buyer. The contract may specify the size of the bale, how soon it must be hauled from the field and how the bale should be stored.

    • 2

      Haul corn-stalk bales off the field as soon as possible. The quality of the bales will be affected if they are left in the field any longer than necessary. The bale will absorb moisture from the ground as well as any rain that falls. Mold can form in corn stover hay bales, damaging feed quality further.

    • 3

      Monitor soil conditions. Corn stalks left in the field return to the ground and break down into nutrients necessary for future plant growth. When the stalks are removed those nutrients are lost to the soil. The North Carolina Agriculture Department suggests that 1 percent of the weight of the corn stalks is nitrogen and 25 percent of that nitrogen is available for the next year's crops. Farmers baling corn stalks should either perform soil testing to determine fertilizer needs or add nitrogen to the soil based on the bulk weight of the corn stalks removed for feed.