SRBeef
Well-known member
I found another benefit of grazing standing corn over the winter we are having in the north is the lack of mud problems. I checked on the herd tonight (first time in a week or more) and really was concerned when they were not in any of their usual over night spots in or along the woods.
Finally found them deep in the latest corn section where they had made a bit of a nest and were all lying there with clean coats on stalks like it had been put there for bedding. They were content, must be warm even though the temperatures are dropping and obviously well fed. The weaned steers especially that I recently sorted over to the corn are really "popping" by the looks of them.
There is still 8-10 inches of snow everywhere but the freezing rain of this past week made a crust. The group on hay only really had a lot of mud around the hay feeders. The corn group looked clean, dry and well fed. Evidently they like the footing in the corn much better than the ice now that temps are dropping again. Forecast is below zero (F) nights again later this week.
They were so content in the corn tonight they didn't come when called and I had a rough time finding them - but looks like they decided to camp out in the corn. The corn group has eaten almost no hay in the past week since I put it out. That's fine with me. I'd like a little extra at the end of the season to build a reserve rather than running out and scurrying to buy more as I did last spring. fwiw.
Jim
Finally found them deep in the latest corn section where they had made a bit of a nest and were all lying there with clean coats on stalks like it had been put there for bedding. They were content, must be warm even though the temperatures are dropping and obviously well fed. The weaned steers especially that I recently sorted over to the corn are really "popping" by the looks of them.
There is still 8-10 inches of snow everywhere but the freezing rain of this past week made a crust. The group on hay only really had a lot of mud around the hay feeders. The corn group looked clean, dry and well fed. Evidently they like the footing in the corn much better than the ice now that temps are dropping again. Forecast is below zero (F) nights again later this week.
They were so content in the corn tonight they didn't come when called and I had a rough time finding them - but looks like they decided to camp out in the corn. The corn group has eaten almost no hay in the past week since I put it out. That's fine with me. I'd like a little extra at the end of the season to build a reserve rather than running out and scurrying to buy more as I did last spring. fwiw.
Jim
