frenchie
Well-known member
Grower sold on economics of corn grazing
this document web posted: Wednesday August 10, 2005 20050811p65
By Ian Bell
Brandon bureau
STE. ROSE, Man. - Dean Gamache counts himself among the converted when it comes to using corn to extend the grazing season for cattle.
He recalls being skeptical when he and his father-in-law Tony Guillas were approached a few years ago about trying it on their farm. He especially questioned whether there would be enough benefit to justify the added input costs, particularly for the fertilizer.
"I was the guy saying it wouldn't work, but it worked really well," said Gamache, who shared his experiences during the Manitoba provincial grazing tour held in late July.
"It's by far one of the best management decisions we ever made."
Gamache and Guillas were already extending their grazing season by growing barley and oats and then swathing them for their cattle to graze after the regular pasture season.
Although the swath grazing proved beneficial, they found it could not compare to grazing their cattle on corn left standing in the field.
"You can graze a lot more head on an acre of corn than on barley or oats, consistently," Gamache said.
The cattle typically begin grazing the corn in early November. About 55 acres are usually enough to last 180 cows until at least early January.
The cattle are then fed hay but can still forage on whatever corn remains. The calving season starts in mid-April.
Portable electric fences are used to divide the corn crop into paddocks for grazing. Gamache and Guillas like to move their cattle to a new paddock every five to six days. Smaller paddocks help ensure the cattle clean up most of the corn, including the stalks.
The cattle typically eat the corn cobs first, then the leaves and finally the stalks.
"It's actually harder on the cowboy than it is on the cows to get started at this," said Gamache, noting the need to withstand the sorrowful look in the cattle's eyes when the cobs are gone and only the stalks remain.
They push the cattle to clean up more of the corn during stretches of milder winter weather, but are not as demanding when temperatures turn biting cold.
Shelter is available to the cattle in the event of harsh weather.
Gamache and Guillas have tried a number of corn varieties and found that Canamaize works best. Gamache said its stalks tend to be smaller than those of other varieties, making it easier for cattle to eat most of the plant and reducing the amount of residue left in the field to be managed the following spring.
"We're really satisfied with the Canamaize but that doesn't mean we won't try anything new."
Gamache is confident that grazing cattle on standing corn costs less than growing and harvesting hay for winter feeding.
It also eliminates the need to haul hay bales to cattle during the first months of winter. Another benefit is that manure and urine go onto the field rather than accumulating in a wintering pen.
When planting the corn, Gamache and Guillas do not fertilize for maximum yields. They prefer to strive for reasonable yields without "pouring the nitrogen" to the crop.
For example, soil tests this year suggested they should apply 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre of corn, but they opted for 50 lb. per acre instead.
"If you put 50 lb. on you're going to get a crop," Gamache said.
"If you take care of that crop, if you get rid of the weeds and do it that way, then you're going to get your money back. Maybe you're not going to get the maximum production, but that's just fine. You don't need maximum production to make it pay."
© The Western
this document web posted: Wednesday August 10, 2005 20050811p65
By Ian Bell
Brandon bureau
STE. ROSE, Man. - Dean Gamache counts himself among the converted when it comes to using corn to extend the grazing season for cattle.
He recalls being skeptical when he and his father-in-law Tony Guillas were approached a few years ago about trying it on their farm. He especially questioned whether there would be enough benefit to justify the added input costs, particularly for the fertilizer.
"I was the guy saying it wouldn't work, but it worked really well," said Gamache, who shared his experiences during the Manitoba provincial grazing tour held in late July.
"It's by far one of the best management decisions we ever made."
Gamache and Guillas were already extending their grazing season by growing barley and oats and then swathing them for their cattle to graze after the regular pasture season.
Although the swath grazing proved beneficial, they found it could not compare to grazing their cattle on corn left standing in the field.
"You can graze a lot more head on an acre of corn than on barley or oats, consistently," Gamache said.
The cattle typically begin grazing the corn in early November. About 55 acres are usually enough to last 180 cows until at least early January.
The cattle are then fed hay but can still forage on whatever corn remains. The calving season starts in mid-April.
Portable electric fences are used to divide the corn crop into paddocks for grazing. Gamache and Guillas like to move their cattle to a new paddock every five to six days. Smaller paddocks help ensure the cattle clean up most of the corn, including the stalks.
The cattle typically eat the corn cobs first, then the leaves and finally the stalks.
"It's actually harder on the cowboy than it is on the cows to get started at this," said Gamache, noting the need to withstand the sorrowful look in the cattle's eyes when the cobs are gone and only the stalks remain.
They push the cattle to clean up more of the corn during stretches of milder winter weather, but are not as demanding when temperatures turn biting cold.
Shelter is available to the cattle in the event of harsh weather.
Gamache and Guillas have tried a number of corn varieties and found that Canamaize works best. Gamache said its stalks tend to be smaller than those of other varieties, making it easier for cattle to eat most of the plant and reducing the amount of residue left in the field to be managed the following spring.
"We're really satisfied with the Canamaize but that doesn't mean we won't try anything new."
Gamache is confident that grazing cattle on standing corn costs less than growing and harvesting hay for winter feeding.
It also eliminates the need to haul hay bales to cattle during the first months of winter. Another benefit is that manure and urine go onto the field rather than accumulating in a wintering pen.
When planting the corn, Gamache and Guillas do not fertilize for maximum yields. They prefer to strive for reasonable yields without "pouring the nitrogen" to the crop.
For example, soil tests this year suggested they should apply 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre of corn, but they opted for 50 lb. per acre instead.
"If you put 50 lb. on you're going to get a crop," Gamache said.
"If you take care of that crop, if you get rid of the weeds and do it that way, then you're going to get your money back. Maybe you're not going to get the maximum production, but that's just fine. You don't need maximum production to make it pay."
© The Western
