Retaining Calves

[Stocker Steve]

Amongst all the discussion of when, where, and how to expand the cow herd - - there is an occasional note about the $$$ to be made by putting more weight on your calves before you sell them. My plan is to tell the neighbors that the grain drier is broken and then graze some standing $2 corn. :cowboy: Does anyone else have a simple approach ?

 

[Bigfoot]

I have always kept calves till about the 750-775 pound mark. I think your leaving too many dollars on the table, not to. At that age your growing frame, and that's cheap growth. I also have a place to send bigger stuff, and not run it thru the yard, thus saving about $40 a head. That adds up quickly on few head.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have always kept calves till about the 750-775 pound mark.

On pasture?

 

[Bigfoot]

I have always kept calves till about the 750-775 pound mark.

On pasture?

Normally, supplemented with a "little" feed. Occasionally, I will turn steers right back out with the cows once their weaned good. They actually get to that size pretty quickly.

 

[Kscattle]

I gotta ask....how do you graze standing corn? Seems like there'd be a lot of waste by doing that. I've got the perfect place to graze some, that's why I'm asking

 

[Stocker Steve]

I gotta ask....how do you graze standing corn?

Open the gate...

I plan to chop the field to open it up.
Then cross fence to provide almost a days worth or feed.
And also set up a couple hay bales to provide the balance.

 

[pricefarm]

I gotta ask....how do you graze standing corn?

Open the gate...

I plan to chop the field to open it up.
Then cross fence to provide almost a days worth or feed.
And also set up a couple hay bales to provide the balance.

I have been thinking of trying this. When u say your going to chop the feild do u mean like bushog the corn to chop it up then turn the cows in?

 

[Son of Butch]

My plan is to graze some standing $2 corn.

Young cattle would mostly just strip leaves while wasting sooo much corn.
If you would have the field made first as snap-lage; bag the snaplage and then you would have plenty left standing for grazing.
Snaplage is basicly picking green ear corn with the husks on and stripping a few leaves with it while chopping and making a super dense ear corn silage. {Snaplage is a very popular feed with high production dairy herds.}
But it leaves a lot of edible plant material behind in the field.
Seems to me that grazing after harvesting snaplage would be a lot more profitable than just grazing standing corn,
because you would also have a high energy feed to carry you through the winter without any corn drying costs.
And because you are harvesting fewer tons per acre doing it as snaplage instead of corn silage, you benefit from lower harvest
and storage costs per acre, and by using your cattle to harvest the tonnage left behind you are not wasting any feed either.

 

[Stocker Steve]

My plan is to graze some standing $2 corn.

Young cattle would mostly just strip leaves while wasting sooo much corn.

I have not had problems with yearlings wasting a lot of standing corn, but I strip graze it by moving an electric fence.
Harvesting high moisture ear corn is an option, but I think corn silage is a better feed for back grounding.

 

[Son of Butch]

I have No Experience grazing standing corn, so my comments on waste is only speculation.
Just pointing out another option [as some what simple and cost effective approach] and my reasoning.

 

[Waterway65]

There are forage type corns, male sterile or BMR corns for grazing or silage. I am growing a BMR corn from Ray Bros. In Idaho. The cattle will graze it into the ground.