Cows in the Corn Grazing Project

Corn is the most productive grass grown in Iowa with dry matter yields often exceeding 6 t/a. Harvesting corn by grazing can provide abundant pasture in mid- to late-summer when pastures in southern Iowa normally make little growth. This approach eliminates harvesting, drying, storage, and transportation costs associated with marketing the grain and leaves almost all of the surplus or waste nutrients in the field. Objectives of this project were to measure animal performance when standing corn crop was the sole feed source for pregnant diary heifers and to increase our understanding of the management practices necessary to optimize the use of this feed source

Rotational Grazing Demonstrations with Beef Cows on CRP Land in Adams County

Two rotational-grazing systems have been demonstrated on CRP land near Corning, Iowa, annually from 1991 to 2000. This report summarizes the 2000 production data. A 13- paddock intensive-rotational grazing system and a 4-paddock rotational grazing system were established in 1991 to show economically feasible grass alternatives to row crops and CRP for steeply sloping (9-14% slope), highlyerodible land (HEL)

Intensive Rotational Grazing of Steers on Highly Erodible Land at the Adams County CRP Project, 2002

The CRP Research and Demonstration Project was organized by the Southern Iowa Forage and Livestock Committee to study alternatives to row crops on highly erodible land. The steer grazing enterprise has been studied since 1994

Intensive Rotational Grazing of Steers on Highly Erodible Land at the Adams County CRP Project, 2001

A steer grazing demonstration was conducted in 2001 at the CRP Research and Demonstration Project farm near Corning, Iowa. Ninety-five steers were delivered to the Adams County CRP farm on April 27, 2001. The steer pasture at the CRP farm was 76 acres, divided into 33 paddocks with electric fence. Cattle were moved 101 times to a fresh paddock during the grazing season. Most of the moves (79.2%) followed 1 day of grazing in a paddock. No paddock was grazed for more than 3 days in succession. Rate of gain on pasture (2.12 lbs./animal/day) was higher in 2001 than in any previous year in the 8-year steer grazing project at the CRP farm. The 95 steers gained a total of 21,056 pounds on pasture, and the cost of the gain on pasture was $51.30/cwt. The 2001 steer grazing project showed a small profit above all costs. The net profit was$4.12/steer or $5.15/acre. Large profits and large losses are possible, primarily depending on the difference between the buying and selling prices