Renting corn stalks

[fargus]

Had another crazy thought today, and thought I would run it by everyone on here. There is lots of information regarding the value of grazing corn stalks after harvest as cheap feed for dry cows. We already stockpile perennial grasses, and grazing corn stalks would give us more time to either grow more forage, or wait for a killing frost so my forages are dormant, which should result in better production the following spring.

Problem is we don't grow corn. Don't have the equipment, time or inclination to start either. My question is simple: has anybody tried (successfully or otherwise) to rent fields of harvested grain corn for fall grazing from cash cropping neighbors? If you have, how did you come to a rate agreement? Per cow/day, or a flat per acre rate? In our area there is lots of potential to make something like this work, but it has to work economically for both parties.

Any thoughts?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Great idea but hard to do in most cash crop areas. Fall plowing and water sources are two big issues. I have been trying:

put up electric twine after combining
make cattle walk to water
we get a lot of snow and wind about mid December
so a short season here most years

I pay per cow per day so if I get snowed out my rent stops

 

[terra8186]

They bail corn stalks around here and sell them. Problem with that is it is removing a lot of the minerals and fertilizer left in the stalks. Most farmers don't think the value per bale is worth the lost nutrients.

If you were next to me, I would let you graze my field. You are removing some of the stalks and turning them into manure. My only concern would be compaction from the cattle (if I were no tilling). I might expect in return some beef?