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Bull Management Question
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<blockquote data-quote="SRBeef" data-source="post: 621189" data-attributes="member: 7509"><p>I could not see the post you mentioned on Ranchers. This has been an experiment for me.</p><p></p><p>There are two basic concerns with grazing unharvested corn: possible nitrate poisoning and overeating the corn ears. When limiting mine to a small area early in the season - trying to get them to really clean up the still green corn stalks and all, I had one cow show signs of nitrate poisoning after a couple days in 35% still green corn. I quickly closed the gate and kept them of for a few days and fed lots of good hay.</p><p></p><p>Fortunately this one came back ok. After that I don't try to limit their access so much. The nitrate problem is most severe in the stalks. On down, high yielding probably way over N fertilized corn this may force them to eat more stalk and result in nitrate poisoning.</p><p></p><p>I reopened the stalk field a week later and did NOT limit them very tightly but let them eat the full ears - and basically as much as they want. Generally they will NOT get nitrate poisoning from eating ears.</p><p></p><p>This more or less free access to ear corn caused some major tummy aches at first - judging by the manure pattys. However with good hay nearby and plenty of water and protein/mineral tub nearby, the cows and bull seem to have learned to limit themselves. They daily rotate between grazing for corn ears (still standing above the approx 2ft of snow), then go over to the hay feeders for awhile, then water, then mineral, lie down for their noon break then go through the cycle again. </p><p></p><p>The cobs provide a fair amount of roughage and while their hay consumption is half or less of last year at this time they still do eat hay and look pretty good as you can see #77 above.</p><p></p><p>This was an unusual year in my area - due to flooding and other factors I did not get the corn planted until mid June which is really too late in WI. the plan was to have them graze the harvested stalks for awhile after combining and before the snow got too deep like it did quickly last year.</p><p></p><p>I think if the corn plants had been less green when I started, as they will usually be in Oct, and I had not restricted them so much to "clean up their plate" there would not have been the nitrate problem. With a few changes I plan to do this again next year. You get a lot more grazing per acre with corn and in a needed time window than if this had been more pasture or harvested corn. I think there is somewhere over 200-250 cow days grazing per acre there and when combined with reduced hay consumption, probably getting over 300-350 cow days per acre at a time when I really need it.</p><p></p><p>I purchase all hay so I am looking for ways to grow more grazing and purchase less hay.</p><p></p><p>This is a long answer to your question but hope it helps. I wonder if you could post a link to the Ranchers thread you were talking about, I'd like to read it. If you try this grazing standing corn be careful and start slow but it can work. Dekalb Seed has a lot of info and promotes this in western Canada. Best of Luck.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="SRBeef, post: 621189, member: 7509"] I could not see the post you mentioned on Ranchers. This has been an experiment for me. There are two basic concerns with grazing unharvested corn: possible nitrate poisoning and overeating the corn ears. When limiting mine to a small area early in the season - trying to get them to really clean up the still green corn stalks and all, I had one cow show signs of nitrate poisoning after a couple days in 35% still green corn. I quickly closed the gate and kept them of for a few days and fed lots of good hay. Fortunately this one came back ok. After that I don't try to limit their access so much. The nitrate problem is most severe in the stalks. On down, high yielding probably way over N fertilized corn this may force them to eat more stalk and result in nitrate poisoning. I reopened the stalk field a week later and did NOT limit them very tightly but let them eat the full ears - and basically as much as they want. Generally they will NOT get nitrate poisoning from eating ears. This more or less free access to ear corn caused some major tummy aches at first - judging by the manure pattys. However with good hay nearby and plenty of water and protein/mineral tub nearby, the cows and bull seem to have learned to limit themselves. They daily rotate between grazing for corn ears (still standing above the approx 2ft of snow), then go over to the hay feeders for awhile, then water, then mineral, lie down for their noon break then go through the cycle again. The cobs provide a fair amount of roughage and while their hay consumption is half or less of last year at this time they still do eat hay and look pretty good as you can see #77 above. This was an unusual year in my area - due to flooding and other factors I did not get the corn planted until mid June which is really too late in WI. the plan was to have them graze the harvested stalks for awhile after combining and before the snow got too deep like it did quickly last year. I think if the corn plants had been less green when I started, as they will usually be in Oct, and I had not restricted them so much to "clean up their plate" there would not have been the nitrate problem. With a few changes I plan to do this again next year. You get a lot more grazing per acre with corn and in a needed time window than if this had been more pasture or harvested corn. I think there is somewhere over 200-250 cow days grazing per acre there and when combined with reduced hay consumption, probably getting over 300-350 cow days per acre at a time when I really need it. I purchase all hay so I am looking for ways to grow more grazing and purchase less hay. This is a long answer to your question but hope it helps. I wonder if you could post a link to the Ranchers thread you were talking about, I'd like to read it. If you try this grazing standing corn be careful and start slow but it can work. Dekalb Seed has a lot of info and promotes this in western Canada. Best of Luck. [/QUOTE]
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