Drought-Hit Crops: NC State's Feed & Winter Hay Solutions
TL;DR: Utilize drought-stressed crops like corn and soybeans as animal feed and winter hay alternatives to maintain livestock health and reduce costs.
- Test drought-damaged crops for nutrients and nitrates.
- Harvest corn for silage, even with low grain yields.
- Supplement corn stover for adequate protein and energy.
- Graze or forage soybeans early for maximum nutrition.
- Prioritize high-quality feed for animals with high requirements.
Why it matters: Maximizing the salvage value of drought-stressed crops provides cost-effective feed solutions for livestock producers during shortages, ensuring herd health and economic stability.
Do this next: Conduct a feed inventory, including nutrient and nitrate testing, for all available hay, pasture, and drought-damaged crops.
Recommended for: Livestock producers, particularly those in drought-prone regions, seeking practical and cost-effective feed management strategies.
This guide from NC State Extension provides practical strategies for utilizing drought-stressed crops as livestock feeds and winter hay alternatives. Producers are advised to conduct a feed inventory of hay, standing pasture biomass, and drought-damaged corn silage, testing for nutrients and nitrates to balance rations effectively. Key recommendations include harvesting drought-damaged corn for grain (with low yields) as silage, leveraging custom harvesters where available; note that such silage is often higher in moisture and protein than expected. Corn stover is highlighted as a viable feed for cows—low in protein, high in fiber—requiring energy and protein supplementation; it proved effective during the 2007 drought via the 'Golden Hay' program, sustaining beef operations, and is now commonly baled. For soybeans under heat and drought with high biomass but low bean yields, early grazing or harvesting for forage is recommended while leaves remain nutritious, as stalks become unpalatable upon maturity. These methods maximize salvage value from stressed crops, reducing reliance on expensive hay. Implementation steps: sample all feeds for nutritive analysis, allocate highest-quality to high-requirement animals, supplement as needed (e.g., protein for stover), and harvest timely. This approach offers concrete, tested alternatives during feed shortages, drawing from real-world drought experiences to help producers maintain herd health cost-effectively.