Off-Farm To View Corn Chopping

My October celebration continues with an off-our-farm visit to another local farm – a dairy farm smack dab in the middle of chopping corn. 

That was the plan.

We are a beef operation.  Our cows feed primarily by grazing (100% grass-fed) so the process of putting corn up for cows, is very different and interesting. 

I wanted to see how this dairy’s huge storage area (bunk) was filled with feed.  Feed that would be used by their milk cows throughout the next 12 months.  (Note: I observed the same operation at a different local dairy last season. See Blog “Silage Up Close”  9-17-15  - like I mentioned, I find this activity very interesting.)

The chopper runs almost continuous.  When the silage trailer, hauled by a tractor, is filled, it returns to the farm storage facility for unloading.  Another tractor/trailer is already waiting to move into place to be filled.  This routine repeats over and over and over…

At the storage facility, another crew of two spread and pack the chopped corn (silage) in order to obtain the maximum storage capability and to ferment the chopped vegetation. 

when the bunk is full, the white plastic will cover the silage and be peeled back as the silage is used

freshly chopped corn - see the stalks, leaves and kernels

The silage cut now has to last for one year until the entire process of planting, growing, cutting and storing starts again.

only a vey few of the over 400  'happy' milk cows on this large dairy farm

The result…happy cows.  Happy cows provide delicious milk.  Milk provides healthy nutrition for your family. 

I thought this getting feed was all for the cows, but now I realize it is really all for me.

I am a daily milk drinker!  I love milk!

Note:  Daughter Becky is behind the wheel in the top video.