Pasture and Swath Grazing

[perfecho]

Looking at putting in an early crop to graze off in June before it heads out and then swath/fall graze.
Usually use an oat/barley/wheat (small % wheat) combo for swath grazing, but not real happy with their condition this winter...
Suggestions.....

[smcgrath76]

Perfecho - We seed quite heavy and use a mixture of oats, barley and fall rye. We have also used oats, barley and winter triticale. I am not sure which I prefer, but the winter triticale which is fairly new for us has impressed me.
We are going to try a straight Spring/winter triticale mix this year if I can find the spring seed. Some folks I know are pulling nearly 300 day an acre off this.
Varieties in the last couple of years
- AC Mustang and waldern oats(big forage yield from the mustang)
- cowboy barley and one other variety that escapes me at the moment.
- Hazlet and Musketeer fall rye
- Pika winter triticale
The other nice thing with those winter cereals is that they become awfully nice green pasture in April the next year.

[wlc]

What about grazing standing corn .
Much higher prod .
Cows gain weight

[WiltonRanch]

Corn is okay if you do everything right. If you don't it sucks when you compare costs to cool season crops. Besides why do you want to give seed companies and Monsanto a bunch of money every year? Not enough money in cows to be stuck in that program. As well certain areas don't get enough heat or long enough frost free periods to depend on it. Some years it's fine then the next you get an early frost and you're out there supplementing so they don't starve to death.

[perfecho]

Likely will put some grazing corn in for the winter grazing, this average is for early grazing and then early fall grazing, just before weaning.
Sean, I have heard good things about triticale...have used years ago for silage. Believe there are varieties with less awns, but it takes cows a few days to get used to. Will look into more and look for supply.
Thanks all for input......

[perfecho]

Sean, the 300 day would certainly be enough to carry 1 cow per acre over the complete winter....
I am currently about 2 acres/cow....about 180-200 days.
Let us know if you find a supplier......

[kato]

We always graze corn, but it does not work when it's muddy, at least on our heavy soil. When the ground is muddy they tramp it down and waste a lot.

[grassfarmer]

perfecho have you tried this grazing in June then leaving it to fall to swath deal before? I only know of one person that tried it once.
What was wrong with your swath quality this winter?

[smcgrath76]

Perfecho - the 300 was top performance from the work done by West Central Forage and I think was around Stony Plain country. I think there were significant inputs used.
I have found a few seed suppliers, but they are pretty far away from our place. I will "relook" and post the links.
The newer varieties are quite good and actually a better balanced ration than corn.
Our experience so far with corn is that the labour requirement is good, the cost is bad.

[perfecho]

GF...no, haven't tried the grazing in June, was hoping someone else had. Have seen a neighbor do a little with fall rye, seemed to work, but don't know the details...( a far off neighbor...)
The swath grain is probably ok this winter, the younger cows are little butterballs, but the older cows are not quite where I would like to see them.
Also, some of the genetics, mostly brought in, are not as easy fleshing as I like to see.....so I will just have to concentrate on the fatter ones ;-)
Also think that the oat straw doesn't get cleaned up as well as barley, so may put more barley than oats next time.
Know when I have done in past with just barley, was able to make them clean up to the ground before they went on. Maybe just becoming more soft as I get older....