# Cobs for ethanol not working out?



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Was reading article on DTN E-mail.Sounds like cobs for etano; not turning out so well.Cobs took on a lot of moisture and costs were to high.$100,000 for cob collectors pulled behind combine.And I can imagine how well that worked in wet conditions.

Sounds like they are going to bale stalks and the cobs this yr.300,000 Ton needed for the plant.Holy crap thats about 450,000 rd bales.And will take 2 counties of corn stover to supply it.

Not sure how they came up with 2 counties of stover or how much they are taking off fields.And not everyone will want to take it off their land.Also there are feedlots that bale stover in the area.

WOW alot of ??? in my mind.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I could see just taking the cobs, but until they are willing to pay more for the rest of the stover, I think you're losing money on lost OM and nutrients the stover release's for the next crop.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

mlappin said:


> I could see just taking the cobs, but until they are willing to pay more for the rest of the stover, I think you're losing money on lost OM and nutrients the stover release's for the next crop.


Agree 100%


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## iflylow (Jan 21, 2010)

I've heard much lower estimates of around 120.000 to 150,000 tons this year. I don't see much promise in the direct bale or cob caddys. Most will have to be done with Hiniker flair choppers and square balers. Loose cobs or round bales could never be hauled in on that massive of a scale. Before they are all hauled in, the rounds will be under 10 foot snow drifts. Hauling of rounds at that scale would likely cause lots of accidents. Think of trucks today going in and out of ethanol plants. Try and do that with rounds, you will have bales falling apart left and right, falling off trucks, as well as bales frozen to the ground in the mud, which the plant cannot work with. Square bales will have 75%+ less ground damage and can be raked across the top of the trailer to remove some of the caked on mudd. You try that with a round bale and see how far it makes it to town and handled two more times. I have a feeling there will be a big learning curve this year, as there was in previous years with loose cobs. 
Just my 2 cents...


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## jdhayboy (Aug 20, 2010)

I don't really know anything about cobs for ethanol but all ideas start from somewhere and hopefully move towards higher effiency and cheaper easier ways of getting them done. Lets hope they can get it done.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

WOW!!!

I hear they are baling 56,000 acres of corn stover.Only directly behind the combine,cobs,husks and trash that drops behind combine.Not shreading or raking.Running stalk stompers on cornhead to smash down 2 rows under combine to save pickup teeth.Hopeing for 2 ton an acre.

And get this.This is just for practice to see if it can be done.This stover will actualy go to feedlots or a power plant instead of the ethanol plant this yr.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

I wouldn't stock pile them close to anything of any value. Sounds like a fire looking for a place to happen. I don't know about in mn, but in Indiana, I don't see a lot of residue coming out of the back of combine that can be direct baled. We were shelling 16% corn this year with green leaves on the top and juice in the lower stalks yet. Just my thoughts

And get this.This is just for practice to see if it can be done.This stover will actualy go to feedlots or a power plant instead of the ethanol plant this yr.[/QUOTE]


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

haybaler101 said:


> We were shelling 16% corn this year with green leaves on the top and juice in the lower stalks yet. Just my thoughts


Wish we had that here, everything is dry with no juice left anywhere in the plant. I was hoping to get some picked early while the stalks were still green, round bale it wet then have a neighbor wrap em just to see what happened.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Stalks are bone dry here,not like last year.+30%.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Everything is bone dry here too now, just no corn left standing in the field. Green leaves and juicy stalks was at the end of August when we started shelling corn. Most of the corn has been done here for about 3 weeks and stalks were getting pretty dry on most of it, except for some June planted corn.


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## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

Dry up here in the central and northern part of the state. The last load of corn I drove in for a friend to the ADM terminal test 12.8%...yields down, at least no drying...however a good bunch contracted for him. Last year you couldn't buy a dry day for awhile...gee what will next year bring? You know the folks, especially universities, keep telling us stover and cellulose biomass if going to happen...but who is really buying...maybe the practice harvest will tell us.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Regardless of what the experts say, at this point in time in my personal opinion they are not paying enough to cover fuel, wear and tear on the equipment or enough to cover the loss in organic matter and nutrients.

Have a neighbor who went broke years ago, he says he was taking the advice of too many experts. I tend to agree, it's easy for them to advise spending money when it's not their pocketbook involved.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

> mlappin said:
> 
> 
> > Regardless of what the experts say, at this point in time in my personal opinion they are not paying enough to cover fuel, wear and tear on the equipment or enough to cover the loss in organic matter and nutrients.
> ...


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