Corn field to grazing

[rockroadseminole]

We've got a 55 acre irrigated field, adjacent to our pasture, that we rented to a row crop guy. He should be shelling corn this week if the afternoon showers will ever hold off.

This is my winter grazing field. After he shells corn, it's mine till march. Corn hasn't been planted out here since we got back into cows. My current plan is to turn the cows out to eat the free feed, pull them off and plant grazing. Know one guy who cuts in the stalks and let's the "volunteer corn" come up. He then spreads his winter grazing seed in October and waters it in.

How would you go about this? South GA - North FL area. Access to plenty of water via irritating.

 

[Clodhopper]

Unless there is a lot of downed corn or the combine is set up poorly I don't know how he gets enough volunteer corn to make it worth his while, unless he runs a John Deere combine! Seriously though, if your farmer has a no-till drill, that's the route I would take. What will you be seeding down?

 

[tdc_cattle]

Even if your machine is set perfectly there is quite abit of corn left on the ground.

I try to get mine planted back ASAP. Typically were busy with harvest so they get to glen the fields for a couple if weeks. I usually put out a bale of my lowest quality hay so it's there if they want but they don't pay much attention to it. If they start paying much attention to the hay its time to move them off then plant my cover crop.

 

[Clodhopper]

There is always some left, yes, but I don't see how cutting it or working it in would be worth the it just for the volunteer corn alone, without seeding something else with it. I have seen some fields that appear to be sewn to corn after shelling, but in good standing corn with a well set up combine and reasonable driving speeds, I think it would be better to let them clean up the fodder and grain first before working it up. That would be wasting a lot of good fodder.

 

[M-5]

Turn cows in it and let them clean it up , late Sept spread your winter grazing and disk it in. If you time it right and put out wheat in your mix you can get every dove in Seminole county

 

[bmoore87]

With the newer combines there is usually not much corn left behind to let a good volunteer stand com up. If you are broad cast seeding I would wait until they have most of the leaves gone and then plant it a week or so before you pull them if you want to get it in earlier.


They can graze free choice until corn and husks are gone with no feed. After that we supplement some gluten or corn until only stalks are left to help hold condition. With newer corn varieties the stalks are about like eating wood and most cows won't eat to much of them.

If this is first year cows are on corn I would not put out hay until running out of leaves otherwise they might eat only ears and husks then go to hay.

 

[HDRider]

Fields around here have tons of volunteer corn come back after harvest.

 

[Ebenezer]

Have any trouble with army worms? That would help me decide on timing of small grains. If waste corn is a good feed when sprouted, could you broadcast a bushel or two of bin run corn per acre prior to discing to make sure to have a good stand?

 

[HDRider]

Would there be any nitrate issues?

 

[tdc_cattle]

Would there be any nitrate issues?

Nitrates are an issue in stalks baled in a drought. They accumulate towards the base of the stalk. I've never seen a cow grazing a picked corn field that paiduch attention to the stalk. They clean up the grain and leaves pretty good. So never say never but it doesn't concern me.

 

[HDRider]

Would there be any nitrate issues?

Nitrates are an issue in stalks baled in a drought. They accumulate towards the base of the stalk. I've never seen a cow grazing a picked corn field that paiduch attention to the stalk. They clean up the grain and leaves pretty good. So never say never but it doesn't concern me.

I was thinking more about volunteer corn growing.