Stockpiled Forage For Beef Cows

1
Stockpiled Forage For Beef Cows

• Summary of 3 Year Study at ISU
• Keith Vander Velde, Marquette
• County Agriculture Agent

2
Stockpiled Forage Study

• Three Year Study
• Mid-gestation medium Framed Cows
• Four systems
• Strip grazing tall fescue and alfalfa
• Strip grazing smooth bromegrass and red clover
• Strip grazing corn residue
• Drylot feeding hay

3
Stockpiled Grazing Study

• Stocking Rate two acres per cow
• Start Day Oct 23
• Grass/legume hay offered to maintain BCS
• Average termination date was March 10

4
Stockpiled Grazing Study

• Results
• Days before hay offered was
• 85 for tall fescue/alfalfa
• 83 for smooth brome/red clover
• 57 for corn stalk grazing

5
Stockpiled Grazing Study

• Drylotted cows required 3,691 lbs of hay
• Tall fescue/alfalfa required 1,334 lbs of hay
• Smooth brome/Red clover required 1,418 lbs of hay
• Corn stalk residue required 2,370 lbs of hay

6
Stockpiled Grazing Study

• 62.7 decrease in hay needs by both tall
  fescue/alfalfa and smooth brome/red clover
  grazing