Corn Question (organic, live, eat)

[wehotex]

Iowa is very well known for its corn crops as we all know. Perhaps one of you could answer this question?
In the area where I live, corn is one of the crops. Due to drought conditions, I have noticed that the corn plants are brown with the tops appearing to be chopped off. Yet the base up to about 2 -3 feet of the stalks are still in the ground. Does this 2-3 feet of the stalk have any use at all? Is it used to feed livestock? Or is it of no use and plowed into the ground later? Our sorghum plants don't seem to have this problem, only cotton and corn.

[duster1979]

In a dry year when hay is in short supply - such as last year and, potentially, this year - the stalks are often baled and fed as roughage. Or if a field is fully fenced they sometimes pasture cattle on it after harvest.

Most years they are just plowed under to return the organic matter to the soil.

Now, are you sure the corn you're seeing is this year's corp, or could it be a field that was harvested last year and is fallow this year? Reason I ask is that some combines, specifically newer John Deere models, will strip the ears and leaves and leave the stalk standing in the field, whereas other models knock the stalk down completely. Just curious because it looks kind of like what you're describing.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by duster1979

In a dry year when hay is in short supply - such as last year and, potentially, this year - the stalks are often baled and fed as roughage. Or if a field is fully fenced they sometimes pasture cattle on it after harvest.

Most years they are just plowed under to return the organic matter to the soil.

Now, are you sure the corn you're seeing is this year's corp, or could it be a field that was harvested last year and is fallow this year? Reason I ask is that some combines, specifically newer John Deere models, will strip the ears and leaves and leave the stalk standing in the field, whereas other models knock the stalk down completely. Just curious because it looks kind of like what you're describing.

Thanks. I thought that I saw the sprouts at first, then they grew since we did receive some rainfall down here. But now, they are merely stalks. I don't ever remember seeing them tall with ears of corn on them (nor last year, also a dry year). I'm glad to hear that they are used for either nutrition for the soil or for livestock though.

[kettlepot]

I have a corn question too.

A corn plant puts a lot of energy growing the stalk, leaves, tassel, silk, and cob. To my non-educated, brown thumb perspective that looks like a lot of work just to grow a few corn kernels.

In comparison to other grains like wheat, is corn efficient when comparing the inputs to the nutrition output?

[Meemur]

Very short answer: corn can be eaten without any processing; wheat needs to be processed, so on one hand, it's more efficient. For a longer discussion, see:

https://www.livestrong.com/article/4...wheat-vs-corn/

[Izzie1213]

The leftover, stalk and leaves are ground up a bit and is silage (feed) for cows. It's stored and allowed to kind of ferment, not sure if that's the correct wording. Cows have more than one stomach so they can digest the stuff. I'm a city girl but my grandparents had cows so I know a little bit.

[duster1979]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

I have a corn question too.

A corn plant puts a lot of energy growing the stalk, leaves, tassel, silk, and cob. To my non-educated, brown thumb perspective that looks like a lot of work just to grow a few corn kernels.

In comparison to other grains like wheat, is corn efficient when comparing the inputs to the nutrition output?

Corn is more efficient by a long way. The average corn yield in the US last year measured in bushels per acre was 176.4, compared to 64.9 for oats, 51.6 for soybeans, and 47.9 for wheat.

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by duster1979

Corn is more efficient by a long way. The average corn yield in the US last year measured in bushels per acre was 176.4, compared to 64.9 for oats, 51.6 for soybeans, and 47.9 for wheat.

True, the yield on a per-acre basis is great for corn. The question asked about efficiency, however. I really don't know the answer or even how one would measure "efficiency". Keep in mind it requires a lot of fertilizer to get those high yields from corn.

[catz&dogz]

Just curious, do you guys use insilage pits or just make silage?

[Izzie1213]

Originally Posted by catz&dogz

Just curious, do you guys use insilage pits or just make silage?

I've seen places that basically make but piles of the corn leftovers and cover with a dark colored tarp/plastic. They may use pits still, maybe some do. I'd have to Google it, I don't know.