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Jim

Posted 10/14/2008 11:34 (#482068 - in reply to #478835)
Subject: Update on Grazing standing corn stalks (pics) as requested

Driftless SW Wisconsin

As you requested NEIndiana, here is an update on grazing the very high moisture standing corn pictured above:

The first couple days the cattle just gorged themselves on this corn, eating mostly ears only, even though there was dry hay in a feeder nearby.

Some of the Herefords had more of an appetite/tolerance for the corn than others. One cow in particular looked like she was coming down with pretty severe acidosis. After 3 or 4 days mostly on the corn I opened up another grass area for them to graze.

Checking on them this weekend, they seemed to have developed a plan where they graze the corn for awhile then go over to the grass pasture. The one cow that I was concerned about seems to have recovered.

I think the key to success with this grazing of standing stalks is to offer a very small area of corn at one time and require they clean that up before opening more as Fenceman posted here.

Too much 35% moisture corn can be dangerous - sort of like eating way too much of the first sweet corn on the 4th of July x 2 or 3. I am surprised at how they have learned to regulate their own corn intake.

On the positive side they seem to be putting on condition nicely. Even the spring calves are looking good. Here are a few pictures.

on edit: For reference, the second picture is the same corner of the patch as the first photo but about a week earlier - quite a change in appearance bu the corn grain has still not dried very much.

Jim at Dawn

Edited by Jim 10/14/2008 12:02