to chop stalks or not?

Fordfarmer · Nov 9, 2012

I have corn this year in one of the two fields I pasture. I plan on putting the cows in there once I finish combining, but I now have access to a 6-row stalk chopper. Would it be worth my time to chop the stalks before turning the cows in there? I'm thinking it would be easier to work the field next spring if I chop the stalks...I don't think my cows (holsteins) are going to clean up the field like a beef herd would. Thinking I can maybe skip plowing and just disk - less time and fuel.

NY 986 · Nov 9, 2012

It would be easier for the cows but the first big wind storm all the unconsumed organic material will be blowing off the field.

DoubleR · Nov 9, 2012

I chop mine but plow them under shortly thereafter. I never had a problem with the wind blowing them away though.

RN · Nov 9, 2012

The cows will chew stalks down, get any leftover green weeds without a chopper"s help-- sort of depends on how many cows to the acre you put out there. Holsteins will do a good job gleaning and cleaning, was old practice and with cost of fuel saves a bit. Mother used to turn out her small herd in nearest corn field after picking, no chopping and when I disked that field in spring before bean planting scheduled, no problems with trash, no erosion problem from winter- this in central Iowa. Stalk chopping was done on far fields that didn"t have fences, then plowed/disked spring. RN

WGM · Nov 9, 2012

Chopping stalks is a waste of time, fuel and tractor hours.

tomNE · Nov 9, 2012

chopping stalks isn't something that i can see any reason for doing! if u leave the stalk connect to the ground; all the humus stays in your field that the cows don't eat. much too ez for wind or water to remove the humus if not connected!

paul · Nov 9, 2012

The cpows will not like the chopped stalks as soon as it gets wet, they turn into a messy wet mat that goes off-flavor for them.

Be good to the cows, let them eat the standing stalks, deal with the tillage in spring aqs you need to.

I deal with this every year too, I managed to get my field cultivator through the stalks last spring as the cows are it up in the dry winter so well. Even planted corn onto it again.

But typically I need to disk a time or 2 in spring, then field cultivate.

Cows won't like you 4 out of 5 years if you chop the stalks, it chews up the leaves and husks so perhaps they weill eat more stalk, but ionly because the better leaf & husk is messed up, and makes an ugly wet mat as soon as you get any moisture.

--->Paul

jbp · Nov 9, 2012

Got to agree with tomNE and Wgm, don't chop mine anymore. It makes the field look pretty mowed off, but if there is a big rain during the winter and spring months and there usually is, it tends to float the residue off to lowest place in the field. There seems to be less erosion too if they are left standing and still attached to the ground.

I don't work ground as have been 100% notil for a number of years. Joe

Huskers86 · Nov 9, 2012

Chop them in the spring after the cows are off. They have more time to dry down and they will splinter better and then you can work them into the ground discing one pass and putting the stalks nutriants back into the soil. One major benefit chopping is you don't have heavy trash to bother when planting thus giving the next crop a better start. And it also incorporates the crop residue into the soil better.

to chop stalks or not?

Fordfarmer

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NY 986

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DoubleR

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RN

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WGM

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tomNE

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paul

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jbp

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Huskers86

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