growing calves on corn stock field for the winter?

[Anonymous]

Does any one have info for growing calves 500# on corn stock feild and supplementing w/ hay free choice, 2# of corn, and 1# of soymeal, also a mineral and vitamin supp. free choice. Any advice is appreciated. This will be over the winter months w/ shelter 150 days, hopefully 1-2# adg and then start on a dry lot feed program of 3% of body weight w/ corn soymeal and hay mixed with ionosphore and also implanting,also w/ free choice mineral and vitamin, working up to 85% concentrate and the other 15% roughage and supplements. Most calves will be semmi/angus cross. Don't be shy now lets have some advise.

 

[angus1]

Ahoy! I am new here and just figured out how to register. Thanks for the help.

 

[Devin]

Angus1,
I haven't done what you are planning, but we sometimes run fall calving cows and calves on corn stalks. They will clean the field up pretty quick. How many acres of corn stalks are you talking about? How many calves?
Is planting wheat behind the corn an option and letting them graze the wheat? We do that sometime on our own ground and it works pretty good. I guess it would all depend on how many calves per acre you are planning on running if it would be beneficial. Good luck!
Devin

 

[Devin]

Angus1,
I haven't done what you are planning, but we sometimes run fall calving cows and calves on corn stalks. They will clean the field up pretty quick. How many acres of corn stalks are you talking about? How many calves?
Is planting wheat behind the corn an option and letting them graze the wheat? We do that sometime on our own ground and it works pretty good. I guess it would all depend on how many calves per acre you are planning on running if it would be beneficial. Good luck!
Devin

 

[Weaver]

Cattle are lazy and if fed hay free choice they probably won't utilize the corn field like they should. Limit hay consumption. You could also try planting turnips in the corn field. I heard reports of 5-6 tons of forage per acre off of some turnip fields depending of planting time, etc.

 

[angus1]

Guys
Thanks for the replies. this year I will have 5 calves on 80 acres.( I need to ask my extension agent about how many calves per acre on corn stocks). The wheat is a great idea. Im trying to get by as cheap as I can while growing the calves, and then feeding them hard to market weight. Limiting the hay is great advise too. Thanks any more advise is appreciated.

 

[Bez]

We run about 60 head of cattle into the corn fields every fall.

Horned Herefords - cow / calf pairs - the calves generally weigh about 550 pounds when this takes place.

We start corn harvest sometime in late September - early October. when the combine moves out the cows move in. No hay, no supplements. Just the grass around the edges of the field, the corn leaves / stalks and whatever corn we have spilled. When the snow gets to deep for them to dig around, we move them out.

They seem to do quite well. Once they come out of the corn we wean and so on.

Not much else to say - it works for us.

Regards

Bez

 

[angus1]

Thank ya!