How to Turn Maize Stovers into Super Feed for Your Animals

[EcoFarm]

How to Make Your Maize Stovers More Nutritious for Livestock

Hello farmer friend! Let's talk about turning those leftover maize stalks into quality feed for your animals. It's easier than you think!

First Things First - Make It Digestible
- Chop stalks into small pieces (about 2-5 cm) so animals can eat them easier
- Try the urea trick: Mix 4kg urea with 60L water per 100kg stover, store airtight for 2-3 weeks
- Add some molasses (2-5kg per 100kg) to make it tastier and more energizing

Boost the Nutrition
- Mix in protein-packed legumes like lucerne or desmodium (1 part legume to 3 parts stover)
- Always provide mineral licks or salt blocks
- Consider adding protein supplements like soybean meal (0.5-1kg per animal daily)

Smart Storage Tips
- Keep your stovers dry and off the ground
- Use airtight storage for treated stovers
- Watch out for contamination from chemicals or waste

Keep an Eye on Your Animals
- Monitor weight gain and milk production
- Check manure consistency - it tells you about digestion
- Compare animals eating treated vs untreated stovers

Quick Urea Treatment How-To
1. Chop and weigh your stover
2. Mix 1kg urea with 15L water per 25kg stover
3. Sprinkle evenly and mix well
4. Seal airtight (plastic or soil cover works)
5. Wait 4-5 weeks before feeding
Remember: Not for young calves or donkeys!

See? With these simple steps, you can turn waste into valuable feed. Your animals will thank you with better health and productivity!

Got any questions about improving your animal feed? Let's chat - drop your questions below!

[The Farmer]

Urea treatment works because ammonia from urea breaks down lignin bonds, making fiber more digestible

[Kiwi]

Thanks. But If person no get molasses nko?

[Farm-sultan]

Adding molasses will make them to eat more. Nice idea.

Also adding 25 - 30% legumes like lucerne, desmodium, and groundnut haulms improve crude protein.

[Quack]

So na to chop the fodder small-small before I treat. That one no go too stress?

[Henlus]

So na to chop the fodder small-small before I treat. That one no go too stress?

You can buy or construct a simple grass chopping machine. Chopping increases surface area for urea penetration, making the treatment more effective. It also reduce feed wastage by 20-30%.

[Danny]

If I no get airtight bag, fit I just cover am with soil?

[FarmTech]

To help in planning feed storage, how much will a goat eat per day?

If I no get airtight bag, fit I just cover am with soil?
.

Yes, sealing with soil is okay as long as air is excluded. Oxygen will spoil the treatment.

You need to dig a ditch that will contain it. Fill it TIGHT with chopped stover. Cover the top with tarpauline or waterproof before covering with soil. Protect from rain.

[Trimex]

This method can really help in the dry season when grass is scarce. Cool.

[Sendrix]

But wait oo. Won't urea harm cows? It's being used by crop farmers to poison stray goats and cows.

[Henlus]

But wait oo. Won't urea harm cows? It's being used by crop farmers to poison stray goats and cows.

As long as you mix well and wait the  required time, urea-treated stover is safe. Just don’t add extra urea during feeding.

[EcoFarm]

As long as you mix well and wait the  required time, urea-treated stover is safe. Just don’t add extra urea during feeding.

Thanks admin. I've been off

[EcoFarm]

Thanks. But If person no get molasses nko?

Molasses is optional. It mainly adds taste and energy. Without it, treatment still works.

[EcoFarm]

1. Urea treatment is sometimes called "ammoniation" of crop residues. It’s not fermentation like silage, but similar airtight principle.

2. Treated stover has a brownish color and strong ammonia smell. If smell is sharp, leave a few more days. Air-dry for some hours before feeding to reduce strong smell.

3. Maize stover alone has 3–4% crude protein, but after urea treatment it can reach 8–10%.

4. Science studies show that animals gain 30–50% more weight on treated residues compared to untreated.

5. Bottom line: Urea treatment + legume or oil cakes + Mineral Lick + good storage = affordable high-quality feed for ruminants.

[Kiwi]

Molasses is optional. It mainly adds taste and energy. Without it, treatment still works.

Ok tnks

[Sendrix]

As long as you mix well and wait the  required time, urea-treated stover is safe. Just don’t add extra urea during feeding.

Tnks