Best summer grazing annual ?
- Thread starter Richnm
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Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Corn will out "yield" SS unless you are in a severe drought.
Are you estimating seed $/acre or seed $/# DM or seed $/# TDN ?
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
I'm looking at seed per acre. Even with ss being twice the cost of 12.00 per acre on corn. The regrowth of hybrid Sudan grass allows multiple harvest in one season. Am I wrong???
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Maybe, depends on context for climate and harvest window and strip grazing skill:
Corn marketers do the math so they can charge for production potential. We need to do a similiar thing, but factor in grazing utilization to get $/lb consumed.
For my climate - - the cheapest seeding/acre (and the lowest gross yields) are a cereal mix, the most expensive seeding/acre (and the highest gross yields) is corn, with SS being a twinner. But gross is misleading because cattle waste a lot of tall stemy stuff. Thats why we used to chop it.
I am basically in a one cut climate, so when you look at grazing pounds utilized per $ an optimizer would lean towards grazing double cropped SS in August and grazing green corn in September. It's a timing thing. There is a place for both.
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
I'm just curious with the current price of diesel what do you calculate your cost per acre for each trip across the field with the tractor when you're plowing and planting?
BFE
Well-known member
I dry with air no heat. No problem there.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Some states and some land grant universities publish a detailed annual custom rate survey. I use the one from Iowa. It shows median and average $ charge per acre by operation.
Actual results will vary greatly due to a huge range of machinery ages, and number of acres covered per year.
I filled my tanks last fall.
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
If a gas station has full tanks, do they continue to sell the fuel based on the price they paid for it until the tank is empty or do they raise the price as soon as they're notified of a price increase? I know you're not in the business of selling fuel but at some point, you will need to replace the fuel in the tank.
I guess what I'm really questioning is the return of annual forage-based crops as compared to perennial pastures. Unless you no-till you probably have 3 trips across the field to put a crop in. I haven't done the calculations but I'm guessing that it's at least $20/acre per trip across the field for fuel and equipment.
I guess what I'm really questioning is the return of annual forage-based crops as compared to perennial pastures. Unless you no-till you probably have 3 trips across the field to put a crop in. I haven't done the calculations but I'm guessing that it's at least $20/acre per trip across the field for fuel and equipment.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
I will try this question:
1) Yes, perennial pastures are often the lowest cost per pound of DM, but in most areas, they are not available 365. I know, the fescue belt is an exception.
2) So annuals are not a standalone but they can have advantages in certain situations:
- grazing earlier or later than the perennial grazing season
- providing more TDN for high input animal classes
- grazing during drought or summer slump
- grazing in moderate snow depth
3) In these situations, you need to compare the annual forage cost to the cost of grain or hay, because perennial pasture is not an option. Even if annuals are lower cost (than hay) they may still not be a good idea. You may be better off hauling animals to a sale.
4) Annuals can improve your soil fertility and reduce the cost of renovation. So you need to look at the economics of an entire rotation if you are in a lay farming system.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Biden is working very hard to reduce the cost of fuel, so I just need to wait till the supply chain is turned over, to enjoy the reduced cost.
livetoranch
Member
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I didn't see the beginning of the thread to see what type of cattle you're running….but living in Texas, I can't understand why you're not growing and grazing coastal or Jiggs bermudagrass. I've left Tifton 85 out of the equation because of its high fertilizer demand. I can see why warm season annuals like SS or millet might higher in TDN but cost against established well managed bermudagrass is a no brainer for me. You plant it once and there's no hassle with prussic acid or nitrate issues. Just my .02 cents worth.
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
Well I do grow coastal Bermuda. Lots of pics of it through the archives of this forum. Wouldn't be my recommendation for pasture in Texas , that would be klien grass. It will outperform coastal with less fertilizer, rain and maintenance.
The reason I didn't mention earlier in my post is because that's not what the conversation was about. It was focused on planting annuals for forage. ....try to keep up would ya ...
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
Kleingrass is probably fine for most of Texas but in North Texas it will winter kill if the temperature drops into the teens and stays there a while. Cows love it and it makes good hay with high protein levels. It won't stand up to continuous grazing because the cows will keep it clipped to the ground, so it needs rotational grazing or limit it to the hay field.
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
Klien grass does make nice hay as long as you don't mind it being a little bumpy.
It's ability to spread into brushy ,rocky areas and hillsides where you'll never run a sprigger figure in as well.
And yes you Texankees probably should pass on it.
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
I've never heard that term before, in my area it's all about which side of the Red River you're on. There's the right side and the North side where the Okies live.
callmefence
Keyboard cowboy
That's why I live in the middle. No Mexicans in my pasture like down south and I don't have to get up on Sunday morning and help the oakies that got lost over the weekend find their way home.
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
Many businesses benefit from being close to the OK border. TX doesn't charge sales tax on grocery items like OK does so yes there's a lot of north/south traffic on the weekends. We just want them to not over stay their welcome.
