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Title: GRAZING CORN CROP RESIDUES OR STOCKPILED FORAGES TO REDUCE WINTER FEED COSTS FOR BEEF COW-CALF PRODUCTION

Author
item RUSSELL, JAMES - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Radke, Jerry
item HITZ, ANDREW - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item BRASHE, MICHAEL - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item COWEN, ANN - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item BERRYMAN, RODNEY - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
item SECOR, L JIM - IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Animal Production Systems and the Environment
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/22/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: To reduce winter feed cost for beef cows, the Animal Management Issue Team has conducted several experiments to develop winter grazing systems utilizing corn crop residues or stockpiled hay crop forages. Over 56 days, cows grazing corn crop residues could maintain body weight at grazing allowances as low as .5 acre/cow/month if supplemented with 2 lb. soybean meal/cow/day. Strip-grazing corn stalks was effective in improving cow weight gains in years with deficient precipitation, but was ineffective in years with excessive precipitation because of rapid nutrient losses. Water infiltration and penetration resistance of soils in these fields showed no soil compaction resulting from grazing of corn crop residues. In a 4-year summary of experiments, cows grazing corn crop residues at 2.5 acres/cow/season for 112 to 174 days required 1,950 lb. less hay per cow to maintain adequate body condition than cows maintained in a drylot. Because of the low nutritive value and high rate of nutrient loss in corn crop residues, complementary stockpiled hay crop forages may supply necessary supplemental nutrients. A grazed corn crop residue-berseem clover system produced 732 lb. more hay per cow than was needed. Corn crop residue available for winter grazing may be limited in some parts of Iowa. Stockpiled hay crop forages may be used in these areas. In a 3-year experiment, cows grazing forage from stockpiled tall fescue-alfalfa, smooth bromegrass-red clover, or corn crop residues required 2,390, 2,337, of 1,384 lb. less hay per cow to maintain equal body condition to cows maintained in drylot. Therefore, grazing of corn crop residues and/or stockpiled forages can significantly reduce the amounts of hay needed to maintain beef cows.