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Been hearing about all the corn prices going up cause the drought? I can attest to the fact that corn took a hard Likk. I planted 12 rows that were about 25 feet long (I don’t plant much corn, it takes a lot of real estate, for a small harvest). I would estimate that I had about 75 plants per row (and each one should produce at least one cob). At harvest, my corn was wimpy, brown and mostly small to non-existent cobs.
I may have ended up with 75 ears, total. That means that 24 rows were worthless, except to feed cows.
Oops. Can’t feed corn to cows, because it KILLS them.
“But, B’Man, what about all the news about corn prices going thru the roof and how it will affect beef prices?”
Good question, grasshopper. And my good buddy, Korn Likker had the answer for me when we discussed it the other day. You see, Korn Likker is an old farm/ranch hand. He has raised virtually every type of farm animal, including cows (his specialty is horses… that is until one bucked him off and broke him up pretty badly). He told me that cows don’t have a stomach for the high energy corn (they are ruminants, which means their stomachs are designed for low energy, high fibrous grass). That’s why the cattlemen around here have huge hay feeders set out when the grass isn’t plentiful. If the cows eat corn (or any high energy, high protein grain), their stomachs lose their neutral acidity and promotes bacteria to produce lactic acid which further decreases the pH levels. This is called acidosis and it causes pains in their belly and makes it impossible for them to continue to eat. As with humans, this acid can cause ulcers, which, if untreated, causes the rumen to stop working, infection to develop, and then they die.
This is a quick process, too.
“But, B’Man, the TV tells me that they feed corn to cows. Id Korn Likker wrong?”
Nope. He’s right. But the factory Farms and mega-beef producers have a solution (and its making you and me sick, as well). You see, they pump them full of medicines and antibiotics (and we get the extra stuff when we eat them).
The process is simply one of expediency. Allowing cows to graze and eat grass is a very slow process. This is unacceptable, because they want to produce BIG cows faster, so they massively feed them the corn and other grains, along with their massive cocktails of antibiotics to overcome the stomach issues (and don’t think for a second that they care about the cow’s pain… its all about the fastest money. Period.)
So, the next time you hear about the beef prices going up (and they did/are/will even more), understand that there are ways to avoid it.
Corn is Big Business. Remember that.
Its is always about money.
This being the case, would it surprise you that someone might feed their cows candy, instead of corn?
h/t to Korn Likker and Wave News
Side note: for those who have followed this blog, you might realize that Korn Likker is an expert in acid in the stomach. It is what caused his Esophageal adenoca (esophageal cancer). He had his surgery, where they removed the diseased portion, then reattached the esophagus to the stomach (can you imagine such a surgery). He never had chemo or radiation. He has already been released from the Dr’s care, telling hi that this was the fastest recovery they had ever seen.
What was one of the big benefits that Likker shared with me? He can now see the 6 pack of his youth in his belly, telling me he forgot that he ever had one. He has dropped a significant amount of weight (down from 200+ to around 165 or so… he’s 6’1″ or 6’2″). But he’s doing great.
We’re better off with him here than without him, I guarantee.
Besides, you couldn’t kill him if you tried. He fell from a two story window onto concrete when he was 2 years old and barely phased him. He’s a tough old bird.
Did I rub you the wrong way or stroke you just right? Let me know below in the comments section or Email me at buelahman {AT} g m a i l {DOT} com
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Corn certainly IS big business-especially Minsatan corn, which I’d venture cows are being fed.
Sounds like a great idea to ingest agent orange, doesn’t it? I’m sure outlet great grandchildren will thank us when they are all born with chromosomes missing and replaced by god-knows-what. We will genetically never be the same.
Posted by GoslingMomma | August 20, 2012, 6:03 amHot dang: how are you, ‘Lil Mama? In touch with the CDS boys, at all?
Posted by BuelahMan | August 20, 2012, 6:04 amDoin’ Well!
Stopped in the office ealier in the summer, but Mr. Z wasnt in, ahvent had a chance to pop in again. Hopefully my travels with them midgets will get me by there again soon!
How are things in your neck of the woods?
Posted by GoslingMomma | August 20, 2012, 12:43 pmWe’re ok. No work, still, since my layoff. Sent hundreds of resumes and filled out as many applications. NOTHING. It is what it is.
Tell the kids and hubby, hello. Glad you stopped in.
Posted by BuelahMan | August 20, 2012, 5:32 pmThanks for all the good words B-man. However; I don’t consider myself an expert at nothing but poultry science. But then again, most of the “high toned” experts would say that I don’t know come here from sick-um ’cause I don’t have a PHD from Harvard or Yale. All I have is 41 years of hands on experience! I do dearly love dogs, horses, birds and cattle and I am worried about what this drought will bring. I have seen this before. Trust me, what several (not most) but several smaller producers that can’t sell their livestock or don’t have room in the freezer will do is just turn them loose. Right now, if you go to a sale barn with an empty trailer and walk off and leave it, when you come back chances are you will be the owner of a horse! Somebody will put one in it. Not very long ago the big thing was raising ostriches and Emus. The price of breed stock reached crazy prices. Then the market collapsed and the woods filled up with them. They were running wild nearly everywhere. Then winter set in and the cold killed what hadn’t already starved to death …. And the tough old bird part, sometimes here lately I feel mighty weak…lol… Back to corn. Corn is in just about everything now. Which means nearly everything is about to double or even triple in price. We are just beginning to see the result of the lack of rain. What looked like a bumper crop has burnt up in the field. Last weeks corn price at the local Farmer’s Co-Op was a staggering $22.50 per 100 pounds. I bet I have bought 100 ton for $5.10 a hundred. Thanks again for the compliments B-Man. I consider you one of the most intelligent people I personally know and I am proud to be able to call you my friend.
Posted by Korn Likker | August 20, 2012, 9:39 pmLOL at the intelligent part, Buddy! I feel the same way about you.
Posted by BuelahMan | August 21, 2012, 9:18 pm