Grazing corn stalks is a technique for farmers and ranchers to scale back the price of wintering beef cows. Nevertheless, “grazing corn stalks” is a bit deceptive, as cattle should not be pressured to graze the stalk of the corn plant, say North Dakota State College Extension specialists.
“The parts of the corn plant remaining postharvest embody the stalk, leaf, husk, cob and any downed ears,” says Zac Carlson, NDSU Extension beef cattle specialist. “The parts with the best nutritive worth are the husk and leaf. The cob is comparatively excessive in digestibility however low in protein. The stalk is low in protein and digestibility.”
“Cattle are selective grazers and can eat any grain first that’s remaining within the subject, adopted by husk and leaf,” says Carlson. “As a consequence, the longer the cattle graze a selected corn subject, the decrease in nutrient content material their weight loss program will likely be.”
Subsequently, farmers and ranchers ought to goal cattle to eat husk and leaf and use the visible look of husk and leaf as an indicator of when to maneuver cattle to the subsequent subject, Carlson advises.
“For every bushel of corn produced, there may be roughly 16 kilos of leaf and husk accessible,” says Janna Block, NDSU Extension livestock techniques specialist. “A advised stocking price is to focus on grazing half (8 kilos per bushel of corn produced) of the accessible leaf and husk.”
Mature, non-lactating, spring-calving cows with a physique situation rating of 5 or better won’t want supplemental protein when grazing corn residue in favorable climate at an applicable stocking price.
Weaned calves, first-calf heifers and fall-calving cows would require extra protein and vitality to satisfy nutrient necessities.
“Corn residue is low in most minerals and vitamin A,” says Karl Hoppe, NDSU Extension livestock techniques specialist. “Farmers and ranchers ought to present a vitamin and mineral program when grazing corn residue.”
Scout fields previous to grazing to find out the quantity of downed corn current.
“There may be an elevated danger of founder or acidosis if fields have eight to 10 or extra bushels of ears of corn per acre,” says James Rogers, NDSU Extension forage crops manufacturing specialist. “If so, strip grazing is really useful to restrict the quantity of corn consumed in someday.”
To find out the quantity of corn remaining in fields planted in 30-inch rows, rely the variety of 8-inch ears (or equal) on the bottom alongside three completely different 100-foot furrow strips, after which divide the entire by two. It will give an estimate for bushels of corn per acre remaining within the subject, says Rogers.
“Don’t flip hungry cattle out to graze,” advises Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock stewardship specialist. “Present good-quality hay for a day or extra so cattle do not eat corn instantly. Enable cattle to replenish on hay earlier than grazing corn residue.”
Two important limitations to grazing corn residue are putting in fence and offering water for grazing cattle.
Soil compaction is one other subject usually attributed to grazing corn residue. Based mostly on analysis performed on the USDA’s Northern Plains Analysis Lab in Mandan, North Dakota, the danger of compaction from fall grazing is low within the northern Nice Plains on account of our freeze-thaw cycles. Nevertheless, NDSU Extension specialists advocate that producers keep away from grazing soils with a excessive clay content material when saturated.
“Have a plan for climate occasions that restrict grazing,” says Meehan. “Deep snow and ice will restrict the power for cattle to graze corn residue. Have extra feed assets accessible when the climate will get unhealthy.”
Take a look at the NDSU publication “Using Corn Residue in Beef Cattle Diets” for extra data.
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