Growing Corn

[HerefordSire]

I am considering experimenting by growing a small patch of about 100 acres to finish steers. All ideas are welcome. I would like to create a unique brand of natural beef & marketed by the same. The corn will only be used internally. The final ideas will be incorporated into a business plan.

 

[iowahawkeyes]

Umm, growing and feeding calves on corn isn't a new thing. Trying to reinvent the wheel? :???:

 

[HerefordSire]

Umm, growing and feeding calves on corn isn't a new thing. Trying to reinvent the wheel? :???:

I don't have experience seeding, harvesting, storing, etc. for corn. For example, what is the best hybrid corn seed for finishing cattle that would fit a program of finishing natural beef? What kind of irrigation water flow output should I develop per hundred acres? Should I plant on a full moon? Can I spread fish wastes on the field instead of using fertilizer? Which herbicides, if any, can I use to be classified as natural? etc. etc. I hope that helps give you an idea of what I am after.

 

[john250]

The equipment to grow 100 acres will overwhelm your profit.
Try grazing 20 acres of corn. That intrigues me.
Any good hybrid will do. Corn takes a lot of N. A lot.

 

[iowahawkeyes]

Talk to your local extension agent with your questions or custom hire the work done, extension has those rates too.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

First thing is read up on what all natural is. About all it amounts to is no antibotics no hormones. No feed threw fly control that the calves might get.

 

[HerefordSire]

The equipment to grow 100 acres will overwhelm your profit.
Try grazing 20 acres of corn. That intrigues me.
Any good hybrid will do. Corn takes a lot of N. A lot.

I am considering bying a small used four row planter and an old combine with corn heads. Both I think could be purchased for less than $20K. The grazing of the stalks could be used in the backgrounding operation, correct? I know a friend of mind had trouble getting a drought resistant variety of corn and there was a waiting list. Are you aware of any special brands I should consider for 33 degree lattitude and 50 inches average annual rainfall, most of which doesn't come in July? Would it be beneficial for me to ship in truck loads of chicken litter in as a substitude for fertilizer?

 

[HerefordSire]

Talk to your local extension agent with your questions or custom hire the work done, extension has those rates too.

No offense, I prefer not to use local channels of information and services.

 

[john250]

The equipment to grow 100 acres will overwhelm your profit.
Try grazing 20 acres of corn. That intrigues me.
Any good hybrid will do. Corn takes a lot of N. A lot.

I am considering bying a small used four row planter and an old combine with corn heads. Both I think could be purchased for less than $20K. The grazing of the stalks could be used in the backgrounding operation, correct? I know a friend of mind had trouble getting a drought resistant variety of corn and there was a waiting list. Are you aware of any special brands I should consider for 33 degree lattitude and 50 inches average annual rainfall, most of which doesn't come in July? Would it be beneficial for me to ship in truck loads of chicken litter in as a substitude for fertilizer?

Old combines are #@%^& trouble. Unless you are an excellent mechanic, find a seller and buy your corn.

 

[HerefordSire]

First thing is read up on what all natural is. About all it amounts to is no antibotics no hormones. No feed threw fly control that the calves might get.

Excellent! I think I will go read ATTR's web site.

 

[HerefordSire]

The equipment to grow 100 acres will overwhelm your profit.
Try grazing 20 acres of corn. That intrigues me.
Any good hybrid will do. Corn takes a lot of N. A lot.

I am considering bying a small used four row planter and an old combine with corn heads. Both I think could be purchased for less than $20K. The grazing of the stalks could be used in the backgrounding operation, correct? I know a friend of mind had trouble getting a drought resistant variety of corn and there was a waiting list. Are you aware of any special brands I should consider for 33 degree lattitude and 50 inches average annual rainfall, most of which doesn't come in July? Would it be beneficial for me to ship in truck loads of chicken litter in as a substitude for fertilizer?

Old combines are #@%^& trouble. Unless you are an excellent mechanic, find a seller and buy your corn.

I think corn can make it way to $10 per bushel so I will grow it and learn how the hard way. How many farmers you know that don't have to be mechanics? :mrgreen: Maybe grow some canola or sunflower for biodiesal when oil his $500 per barrel. Thanks for your opinion though. The only way I see finishing steers efficiently in high volume is to learn to grow corn and then expand the acreage towards a thousand acres or higher.

 

[grannysoo]

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but around here you need:

Irrigation system
Large nitrogen input
Lime

I tend to agree that 100 acres or so is going to require an investment that probably doesn't make sense. Probably need to start small, with 10-20 acres and see how it works.

Oops..... I forgot. I know a fella that can plant 200 acres per hour and probably gets 400 bushels per acre yield. He would be a better source of advice than I. Sorry.

 

[HerefordSire]

I don't know about your neck of the woods, but around here you need:

Irrigation system
Large nitrogen input
Lime

I tend to agree that 100 acres or so is going to require an investment that probably doesn't make sense. Probably need to start small, with 10-20 acres and see how it works.

Oops..... I forgot. I know a fella that can plant 200 acres per hour and probably gets 400 bushels per acre yield. He would be a better source of advice than I. Sorry.

TY. A low 100 bushels per acre * 20 acres = 2,000 bushels. Generally, how many generic cross steers could I finish with 2,000 bushels?

 

[bigbull338]

you could feed 100 steers for 200 days.based on feeding each steer an ave of 20lbs of corn a day.

 

[Brute 23]

Plant yourself if you must... hire out the combine to harvest. Not some thing you want to get in to.

I like to play mechanic also in a shop, with clean tools and equipment. Its no fun in the field when its 98 degrees out and every thing is covered in dust that makes you break out in a rash.

 

[bigbull338]

i checked my math.an the days went from 200 to 280 days.all my figuring is right off the top of my head an im rarely wrong.

 

[bigbull338]

i see what happened you miss read what i said in my 1st post.i said he could feed 100 steers 20lbs a day wich is 2000lbs a day.never said 200 steers.each acre of corn is enough feed for 2.8 days.

 

[MistyMorning]

WHAT!

 

[Jogeephus]

HS, to do it right, plan on dropping about $600/acre in it and pray you don't have to water. Of course there is another cheaper way to do it with less risk, less yield, less exposure. I thought about doing it myself last year.

 

[Jalopy]

As a rule of thumb figure each steer will require 50 bushels of corn to finish. That is if you are on a high concentrate diet however if you want more of a forage feeding ration you can finsh the steers on less corn but will take a longer period to reach market grade.