There are several choices we can make in October to take advantage of some unique grazing opportunities from other parts of the year.
Cornstalk residue
Corn harvest is underway and corn stalks provide us with another grazing option in addition to pasture. Cornstalk residue or fodder is a resource for beef and sheep, and it is estimated that for every bushel of corn, there are approximately 18 pounds of stem/stalk, 16 pounds of husk and leaves and about 6 pounds of cob left as residue. To quickly estimate the number of grazing days for a 1,200-pound non-lactating cow, divide the corn grain bushel yield by 3.5. Quick even math at 175 bushel yield is 50 days of grazing. To go further into this topic, and the math and economics behind it, look for Nebraska Extension publication “Grazing Crop Residues with Beef Cattle”.
Strip grazing
A few considerations to be mindful of are digestive problems and declining residue quality over time. Cattle and sheep will select and eat grain first and, when left unchecked, can lead to acidosis, bloat and, in the worst-case scenario, even death. However, scouting the field ahead of time and increasing stocking density generally offset this risk. Limiting grazing area through a method like strip grazing will reduce selectivity, force livestock to eat more of the forage portion of the residue and dilute the impact of corn grain.
Corn stalk quality will be at its highest in the first 60 days. Generally, the greatest nutritional benefit from grazing corn stalk residue will be in the first 45 days following harvest. Up to a 60-day grazing period will still be suitable but recommendations do not go beyond this window. The speed of quality decline will be hastened by wet conditions and certainly the amount of livestock traffic. In declining quality, TDN can fall to 40-45% and crude protein to 5%.
Weed control
If weed control is on your to-do list, October is often one of the best windows and this could be done while livestock are grazing corn fodder. Some herbicides are best applied in October, while some work better as dormant applications applied in winter.
Fall is a great time to scout for biennial weeds like poison hemlock or cressleaf groundsel. Most importantly, any effective herbicide program should consider fertilization and grazing height management to have anything better than a temporary effect. Effective chemical weed control requires adequate soil fertility and attentiveness to forage health in order to allow grasses and legumes to have maximum competitiveness against other weeds.
Rest
What else can we do while livestock are in a cornfield? This is an excellent time to simply let pasture rest. We can avoid overgrazing pasture in the fall, we can allow forage stands to store up energy reserves for winter and we can stockpile pasture growth for later winter grazing to lower the amount of hay we have to feed in cold weather.
One exception to all of this is if you are planning on frost-seeding legumes. If frost seeding is in your future, consider overgrazing the soil hard enough to expose soil to allow good seed-soil contact when you broadcast late winter.
Plan
Plan for fencing, water supply and feeding hay. And of course, plan for fertility management by taking a soil test. Phosphorous and potassium should be high on the list to address in the fall, and if required rates of application are high, remember the application can always be split over two years.
As with most decisions around the farm, there is probably a trade-off to consider. Moving livestock over to corn fodder may require time and resources, but there is plenty of experience out there to support grazing corn fodder as a consideration in your management.
