Research
Crop Residue Research
Goal:
Gather information that will allow us to better evaluate the sustainable harvest methods, storage systems, treatment methods and high moisture levels of Crop Residue and the quality of that residue over time. Evaluate research methods that have been tested in the market and develop new markets for crop residues.
Why Remove Residue?
As the demand for food and energy increases, it has a direct impact on the supply of grain needed for that demand. Over the past decades multiple companies have increased their focus on meeting this challenge. As seed companies focused on plant health to increase yield, the durability of the plant improved. This in turn, made the residue harder to breakdown. In order to maintain the yield improvements, the producer would rotate his crops or look at newer technology. This is where the equipment companies started to focus on building better equipment to speed the breakdown of the residue. We are now at a point that in order to continue to see yield increases on corn-on-corn, in high yielding areas, a sustainable amount of residue needs to be removed.
How do I market my residue?
The first logical thought is to market this through grazing the residue with cattle, sheep, goat, etc.. This may fit some producers very well and others not so much. Other options are as follows:
- Collect and bale the material as you combine the grain,
- Bale or chop the windrow behind the combine, or
- Shred or rake into a windrow and bale or chop.
All of these methods could have an impact on the market you sell them to. How the residue is stored also has an impact. Based on the combined research of several companies we continue to uncover new opportunities to building new uses for crop residue. Today, most of the residue is fed to cattle or is being tested for bio-fuel. There are several markets that have potential that we are in the “proof of concept” or limited trial stages. As far as feeding trials for livestock, see the attachment with the links to the studies. Even though some of the studies may have appeared to have had a negative impact, they gave insight to new opportunities with residues.
Give us a call to discuss opportunities for your operation.
List of Crop Residue Removal and feeding that may be of interest. This is just a small sample. Thank you for your interest.
1. Potential of Chemically Treated Corn Stover and Modified Distiller Grains as a Partial Replacement for Corn Grain in Feedlot Diets
http://www.ans.iastate.edu/report/air/2011pdf/R2586.pdf
2. Alkaline Treatment Of Low Quality Forages (Corn Stovers)
http://igrow.org/livestock/beef/alkaline-treatment-of-low-quality-forages-corn-stovers/
3. Utilizing Corn Stalk Residues for Dairy Cattle
4. Chemical Treatment of Low-quality Forages to Replace Corn in Cattle Finishing Diets
http://www.hoards.com/sites/default/files/Oct-webinar-reference-1.pdf
5. The Benefits and Detriments of Corn Stover Harvest.
http://poet-dsm.com/resources/docs/responsible-stover-harvest.pdf
