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Steers grazing standing corn - pics
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<blockquote data-quote="SRBeef" data-source="post: 893984" data-attributes="member: 7509"><p>Yes I am on very limited acres and no corn harvesting equipment. I am looking at getting the most production out of each acre but also improving my soils and preventing as much erosion as possible. I am in the driftless region hills.</p><p></p><p>I really like the idea of looking at pasture or corn as how many cow-days of grazing per year can that acre produce.</p><p></p><p>As mentioned above, corn can produce 300+ CD of grazing per acre per year. Not only that but the grazing corn does produce is held up high and out of the snow for winter use. Stockpiling forage is about impossible in winters like we had last year unless you have a herd that knows how to use a snow shovel. Corn on the other hand was readily grazeable even in 2 ft or more of snow when I really need it.</p><p></p><p>Grazing grass in my area is doing very well to achieve 200 CD/a of grazing per year and that's in an intensive rotational grazing system if the rains cooperate.</p><p></p><p>Buying all of my hay (I don't have any hay machinery nor the time nor acres to make enough good hay) is like buying land only better (at today's land prices). But another topic.</p><p></p><p>So corn serves a double purpose of providing a lot of high quality grazing at a time when I really need it. But it is only useful for steers, in my opinion and at the yield densities I can achieve. I will extend by grazing the stubble with open heifers.</p><p></p><p>A combination of home raised strip tilled corn on corn, MIG rotational grazing and purchased good quality hay seems to allow me to make the best use of my particular owned and rented acres.</p><p></p><p>The key is that I can raise corn much more cost effectively with new methods than was thought possible a few years ago. My heavy clay soils hold a lot of water and love corn - and with new methods I can raise good corn without the soil in the strip washing down to the draw in a heavy early spring rain.</p><p></p><p>If you are 45 mi w of GB you are likely in a lot lighter soils than I am and this system may not work the same in that area. </p><p></p><p>And I am not knocking "grass fed" beef. I have done a lot of work in Europe at my day jobs over the years where about all the local beef is "grass fed". And I remember that Europeans thought it was a big treat to get an American corn fed steak on a special occasion. Something you didn't need a bow saw to cut. Note that much of the reason for good current beef prices is overseas (Europe and Asia) demand for good American corn-fed beef.</p><p></p><p>I understand the advantages of "grass fed". I am looking to produce a product with most of the health benefits of "grass fed" and "all-natural" but with the taste and tender texture of traditional corn-fed beef.</p><p></p><p>Don't want to start an argument here over the benefits of each.</p><p></p><p>As far as purchasing grain to feed my cattle, I can produce good corn, standing in the field, very economically. It's the custom harvest-haul-dry-store charges that run up the cost for me. I figure I am producing corn in the 180 bu/a range. It could be 200 if I applied some more N. I am trying to keep my purchased inputs to a minimum. Short answer is I see no financial advantage to buying corn grain.</p><p></p><p>Another reason I prefer grazing the standing whole corn plant rather than just feeding shelled grain is that I like the concept of the steers eating the entire ear and husks and upper leaves and stalks. I am not a bovine nutrition expert but I think they do better with more roughage in addition to the grain. Also if they get a tummy ache they can go back and eat some good hay I have in a feeder near the waterer....or lick the Mineralyx tub for trace nutrients.</p><p></p><p>But once they get going into the corn as in the pictures above the corn plant seems to meet most of their needs. I am also looking for them to put on 3+ lb per day on this corn. All the best to you.</p><p></p><p>Jim</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="SRBeef, post: 893984, member: 7509"] Yes I am on very limited acres and no corn harvesting equipment. I am looking at getting the most production out of each acre but also improving my soils and preventing as much erosion as possible. I am in the driftless region hills. I really like the idea of looking at pasture or corn as how many cow-days of grazing per year can that acre produce. As mentioned above, corn can produce 300+ CD of grazing per acre per year. Not only that but the grazing corn does produce is held up high and out of the snow for winter use. Stockpiling forage is about impossible in winters like we had last year unless you have a herd that knows how to use a snow shovel. Corn on the other hand was readily grazeable even in 2 ft or more of snow when I really need it. Grazing grass in my area is doing very well to achieve 200 CD/a of grazing per year and that's in an intensive rotational grazing system if the rains cooperate. Buying all of my hay (I don't have any hay machinery nor the time nor acres to make enough good hay) is like buying land only better (at today's land prices). But another topic. So corn serves a double purpose of providing a lot of high quality grazing at a time when I really need it. But it is only useful for steers, in my opinion and at the yield densities I can achieve. I will extend by grazing the stubble with open heifers. A combination of home raised strip tilled corn on corn, MIG rotational grazing and purchased good quality hay seems to allow me to make the best use of my particular owned and rented acres. The key is that I can raise corn much more cost effectively with new methods than was thought possible a few years ago. My heavy clay soils hold a lot of water and love corn - and with new methods I can raise good corn without the soil in the strip washing down to the draw in a heavy early spring rain. If you are 45 mi w of GB you are likely in a lot lighter soils than I am and this system may not work the same in that area. And I am not knocking "grass fed" beef. I have done a lot of work in Europe at my day jobs over the years where about all the local beef is "grass fed". And I remember that Europeans thought it was a big treat to get an American corn fed steak on a special occasion. Something you didn't need a bow saw to cut. Note that much of the reason for good current beef prices is overseas (Europe and Asia) demand for good American corn-fed beef. I understand the advantages of "grass fed". I am looking to produce a product with most of the health benefits of "grass fed" and "all-natural" but with the taste and tender texture of traditional corn-fed beef. Don't want to start an argument here over the benefits of each. As far as purchasing grain to feed my cattle, I can produce good corn, standing in the field, very economically. It's the custom harvest-haul-dry-store charges that run up the cost for me. I figure I am producing corn in the 180 bu/a range. It could be 200 if I applied some more N. I am trying to keep my purchased inputs to a minimum. Short answer is I see no financial advantage to buying corn grain. Another reason I prefer grazing the standing whole corn plant rather than just feeding shelled grain is that I like the concept of the steers eating the entire ear and husks and upper leaves and stalks. I am not a bovine nutrition expert but I think they do better with more roughage in addition to the grain. Also if they get a tummy ache they can go back and eat some good hay I have in a feeder near the waterer....or lick the Mineralyx tub for trace nutrients. But once they get going into the corn as in the pictures above the corn plant seems to meet most of their needs. I am also looking for them to put on 3+ lb per day on this corn. All the best to you. Jim [/QUOTE]
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