Growing "Free" Grain by Leveraging Livestock ?

[Stocker Steve]

I sat through part of a winter ag meeting yesterday. There were a couple troublemakers included in the producer panels. One was promoting livestock for grain producers and stressing how using manure increased profits. (I don't think he was allocating any OH or charges for manure handling.) Another was promoting saving back open pollinated corn or off patent RR1 SB seed. (This can be legal, but there may be an issue if the variety was also patented.)

So now we have zero fertilizer cost, and less than $10/acre for seed cost... :banana: What is stopping shitty small time grain producers have rolling up big profits? :cowboy:

 

[TexasBred]

You can probably get more reliable information sitting around the heater at the feed store.

 

[ddd75]

they raise hogs everywhere here.. free manure for all the row crops.. they are injecting it in everywhere right now. And they make good money from the hogs as well. I'm going to look into one but I think they want you to have about 500+ acres crop land for one.

 

[Aaron]

In other news, did you get yourself a bull at that sale?

 

[SDM]

they raise hogs everywhere here.. free manure for all the row crops.. they are injecting it in everywhere right now. And they make good money from the hogs as well. I'm going to look into one but I think they want you to have about 500+ acres crop land for one.

Do you mean look into a commercial hog house(s)? Around here the ones I'm aware of are contract growers like the poultry growers. Maybe the rules and/or growing conditions are different where you are but here you don't need anywhere near that much land to get rid of one house's manure production.

 

[Stocker Steve]

The business heads talk about the "centerpiece operation" that pays most of the bills. The others have a lower profit threshold (with reduced OH) and some free bees (like bale grazing manure). How this may work depends on your starting point.
If you are starting from the point of a specialized no profit grain grower - - then trendy advise is to add cover crops and cattle. Wintering cows on corn stocks is not a new idea, but it is still a very tough sell. I think many would prefer to just wait for the new farm bill.
If you are starting from the point of a forage based cattlemen - - then the trendy advise is to extend the grazing season and bale graze. Bale grazing is not a new idea either, but it can be an opportunity to start a long rotation. Bale grazing spikes K values, and there is one common grain crop that like lots of K and tolerates some N tied up in residue.

 

[Stocker Steve]

In other news, did you get yourself a bull at that sale?

Long story, but I was second bidder on several bulls. The breeder said to be sure and come back. :nod:

Meanwhile, the wife has become a bull sale junkie. She gets a big beef dinner and all the neighborhood news she can handle. Some of the more social sales here also have an open bar the night before. :shock:

 

[bigbluegrass]

Bale grazing spikes K values, and there is one common grain crop that like lots of K and tolerates some N tied up in residue.

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but what grain crop are you referring to? I am looking for a cover crop for some newly bale grazed areas.

 

[ddd75]

Bale grazing spikes K values, and there is one common grain crop that like lots of K and tolerates some N tied up in residue.

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but what grain crop are you referring to? I am looking for a cover crop for some newly bale grazed areas.

radishes / turnips / wheat / all thrive in that

 

[bigbluegrass]

Bale grazing spikes K values, and there is one common grain crop that like lots of K and tolerates some N tied up in residue.

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but what grain crop are you referring to? I am looking for a cover crop for some newly bale grazed areas.

radishes / turnips / wheat / all thrive in that

Thanks! I may add wheat to my cover crop mix. I have used radishes and turnips in the fall with mixed results.

 

[ddd75]

Sorry if this is an obvious question, but what grain crop are you referring to? I am looking for a cover crop for some newly bale grazed areas.

radishes / turnips / wheat / all thrive in that

Thanks! I may add wheat to my cover crop mix. I have used radishes and turnips in the fall with mixed results.

I haven't had much luck with them either. It seems they are like wheat and like to be spread on top of the ground and not drilled. I'm going to just spread on top of the ground and then run a cultipacker over them a few times. I think that will do the trick.

 

[5S Cattle]

radishes / turnips / wheat / all thrive in that

Thanks! I may add wheat to my cover crop mix. I have used radishes and turnips in the fall with mixed results.

I haven't had much luck with them either. It seems they are like wheat and like to be spread on top of the ground and not drilled. I'm going to just spread on top of the ground and then run a cultipacker over them a few times. I think that will do the trick.

I've had my best luck with radishes and turnips just broadcasting over disced ground and dragging a chain harrow over once.

 

[Aaron]

In other news, did you get yourself a bull at that sale?

Long story, but I was second bidder on several bulls. The breeder said to be sure and come back. :nod:

Meanwhile, the wife has become a bull sale junkie. She gets a big beef dinner and all the neighborhood news she can handle. Some of the more social sales here also have an open bar the night before. :shock:

Better enjoy it while the bull buying season lasts! I know I would be taking advantage of a lot of free meals if I was around a bunch of big purebred guys.