Grain-to-Feed Conversion Becomes a New Choice for Major Grain Growers
At present, the state is promoting "grain-to-feed conversion" in some regions to further adjust the structure of grain and feed cultivation. This year, some major grain growers in Rizhao City have worked closely with livestock farms, converting immature corn into whole-plant silage as feed, which has become a new way to improve efficiency and boost income.
In a large cornfield in Xiqiuqiyuan Village, Beikuo Town, Lanshan District, large machinery rented by Rizhao Hongyu Animal Husbandry is harvesting and chopping up every corn plant, which transport vehicles then deliver directly to the silage pits of the dairy farm.
It is understood that this corn is a silage-specific variety provided by Hongyu Animal Husbandry after this summer's wheat harvest, and the costs of silage harvesting, transport machinery and labor are also covered by the dairy farm. The 220 mu of corn from the Jinmei Agricultural Machinery Cooperative, harvested as whole-plant silage, not only sells for more money but also reduces production costs.
It is understood that this year alone, Hongyu Animal Husbandry needs silage from nearly 1,000 mu of stalks. They have also signed contracts in advance with several major grain growers in Beikuo Town to ensure the silage target is met in both quality and quantity.
Yang Zengxiang, a technician at Rizhao Hongyu Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., believes that in this way they provide the dairy cows with sufficient, high-quality roughage, while for the major grain growers it saves the time of harvesting and drying and cuts costs, so it achieves a win-win effect in both economic and social benefits.
"Grain-to-feed conversion" also reduces environmental pollution caused by open burning of stalks and lowers pollution control costs, achieving a win-win of economic benefits and social and ecological benefits. It is understood that Rizhao City currently has more than 10,000 dairy cows on hand and needs more than 70,000 tons of silage feed annually. However, whole-plant corn silage harvesters currently generally cost more than 1 million yuan, and every dairy farm rents machinery from elsewhere, which easily delays the harvest timing. Agricultural machinery cooperative organizations and dairy farming enterprises hope that manufacturers can appropriately lower prices and that the state can include such machinery in the scope of agricultural machinery purchase subsidies, to further mobilize the enthusiasm of all parties, promote the healthy development of "grain-to-feed conversion," and optimize the structure of crop and livestock farming.