Cal Poly Alumni Donates 677 Tons of Corn Silage to Dairy Unit
By Lauren McEwen
Benefactor Steve Maddox (Dairy Science, ’78) donated a whopping 677 tons of corn silage to the dairy unit in September, a record amount from the usual 500-600 tons donated in years previous. The mounds of silage, standing more than six feet tall and 50 feet long, were stored at the Cal Poly Dairy.
Maddox, a second-generation Cal Poly alumnus, operates a dairy in Riverdale, California with 3,600 head of Holsteins, where he also grows his own silage. Corn silage includes every part of the plant, from the stalk to the ear and kernel. A machine cuts the plant and chops it into small chunks and is left under a covered tarp for at least 30 days to ferment. This process prepares the silage to be easily digestible for ruminant animals.
Maddox’s involvement with the Animal Science Department extends beyond earning a degree in dairy science. He is also on the department’s advisory board, financially supported the building of the current dairy and processing plant and started the Harmon Toone Endowment, which is an annual scholarship awarded to a junior standing student specializing in dairy science. His father, Douglas Maddox (Dairy Husbandry, ’57), began the silage donation and it has continued for years.
At the time his father was a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo County had more dairies than any other county in the state, said Maddox. Now, the only dairy that remains in the county is the student-run dairy at Cal Poly.
Maddox said he is compelled to give back to Cal Poly’s Animal Science department primarily because he wants to support the unique learning opportunities the students partake in and because he knows that it is difficult to get silage on the coast.
“I believe in the Learn by Doing philosophy. The strength of Cal Poly is its peer groups,” said Maddox. “The students at the university are the cream of the crop of ag students from all over California and that atmosphere breathes excellence.”
Brian Larson, who manages Cal Poly’s Animal Nutrition Center and swine unit, worked with 12 students round the clock to pack the silage into airtight bags, which assist with fermentation necessary for the silage to be consumed. The delivery came in 29 truckloads and amounted to two 14-hour days in which students and staff from various units, including the farm shop, dairy and Animal Nutrition Center worked together to ensure it was processed and stored properly for future use. Larson said the donation is expected to last about a year, thanks to ration formulas that optimize the amount of feed supplemented with the silage.
Fourth-year animal science major Jenna Merck, who helped during the delivery said, “It was hard work, but I actually had a great time working with this group of students that had similar passions as mine. It gave me an immense amount of respect and appreciation for those that do this type of work consistently to keep livestock happy and healthy.”
Larson orchestrated the delivery, preparation and packing of the silage, in which he gave “each of us the opportunity to work with and understand all of the equipment we were using,” said Merck, “He is committed to giving us students as much hands-on experience and knowledge as possible.”
Looking at the four large piles which lay before him, Larson commented, “This was one heck of a donation. When it comes to silage, it’s like cutting hay. When it’s ready, you’ve gotta get it,” he said. “These students worked hard to ensure the donation would be put to good use.”
Donate today to the Animal Science Department.
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