Grazing cattle on corn shucks

[Carrie]

Happy Halloween everyone!

I'm sitting here with a full basket of candy and no trick-or-treaters so far. Of course, the one year I didn't buy candy, we had a bunch of kids come. Such is rural life!

I've got a question for anyone in the know. We're short on pasture this year because of the drought (SE Indiana), so we've turn our fall mamas out in the corn field. Is there any rule of thumb as to grazing time/acres per cow etc? They've been out there a week and don't act hungry (small herd, tend to be very vocal when hungry) and do have accress to several acres of waterway grass. They seem to stay in the shucks most of the day. Could there be that much corn out there? I don't want to short them since most are due to calve mid-to-late November, but I'd like to put off hauling balage as long as possible.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Carrie

 

[danbrady]

When I was a kid we would grind the stalk and corn together for feed. It's not green anymore, I assume, and besides corn isn't more than 12% protein. I wouldn't hesitate to let them graze it and don't see any harm could be done. Wish I had planted some myself right now. Happy Halloween!

 

[Carrie]

Just clarifying - this field was harvested before putting the cows on it.

Carrie

 

[TexasBred]

Just clarifying - this field was harvested before putting the cows on it.

Carrie

If so Carrie you've basically got not but filler there. The grass growing around will help some but as the weather cools they'll need some protein supplementation. Keep an eye on their body condition.

 

[redcowsrule33]

If it was a decent stand of corn to begin with and the cows aren't nursing, it's good cheap feed. Shouldn't graze much past the end of December as the weatehr has removed a lot of the nutrition by then. Search your state's extension service, there should be info on corn stalk grazing there. A lot of people even put up round bales of fodder to feed along with hay to dry cows during early gestation. Make sure they have a vitamin/mineral supplement and salt.

 

[iowafarmer]

Corn stalks don't have a very high protien level so you might have to add some protien to their diet since they are so close to calving. We run our spring calving cows on cornstalks as long as possible in the fall while monitoring body condition.

 

[Carrie]

Thanks everyone for your replies. You all are the best!

We moved them off several days ago as they were reaching thorough the five strand fence to get to the grass on the other side. It's funny that they never seemed to carry on like they usually do when they're hungry. Guess the shucks fill their bellies enough to make them feel full.

Carrie