Just a few comments: we are in central Minnesota and we do bale grazing and winter grazing. We have about 18 inches of snow on the level. I have done this for several years slowly increasing the bale and winter grazing. I planted sorghum sudam again this year but this year I planted a photo sensitive variety in addition to BMR. We had virtually no heading out on the SS even though we did not get a frost until well into October. The SS does not grow much in cooler temps. The SS did not stand as well as non BMR but still stuck out above the snow and the cows started grazing strips of it before the snow and then contimued to graze as the season and snow increased. Yesterday January 4th I moved the cows to bale grazing. They were still digging SS from the snow but in case of another blizzard I wanted them started on the bales. I hope no one thinks I am bragging but maybe this info would help another. farmguy
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winter grazing
- Thread starter farmguy
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Doesn't sound like bragging at all...just sharing knowledge....learning, thats what we all should be here for.
Do you graze the SS all year long or leave it for winter grazing? Do you have any idea what the nutritional value is after it goes dormant?
Do you graze the SS all year long or leave it for winter grazing? Do you have any idea what the nutritional value is after it goes dormant?
We graze swamp meadows here until weather conditions dictate feeding. Concerning bale grazing, I can't see the cost benefit of having 20% more feed trampled into the snow or $h!+ as compared to rolling bales out. I prefer to see each and every one of my cattle daily in the winter and know there is or isn't a problem. If you have another job there is some merit to bale grazing.
Is a ranch east of us that was bale grazing and extolling the benefits until it turned really cold and no one thought to see if the water source was open. 39 cows drowned in the river looking for water in 2015 when they were worth $2500+. Saved a lot of dollars not starting that tractor daily though.......?
Is a ranch east of us that was bale grazing and extolling the benefits until it turned really cold and no one thought to see if the water source was open. 39 cows drowned in the river looking for water in 2015 when they were worth $2500+. Saved a lot of dollars not starting that tractor daily though.......?
farmguy
Well-known member
I graze rye in the spring before my rotational grazing then graze SS only in late fall/winter. Our cows have access to a heated waterer but in all honesty if the snow is loose they may not come up to the yard for a few days.
When did you plant the SS for the fall/winter grazing? I planted some Sudangrass this year for the first time. I mowed it once and then grazed it once. Waited too long to put the cows on it, but was still on the fence about mowing or grazing. Sudangrass was about 36" when cattle were turned in on first paddock. Sudangrass got taller than the cows before they started making a dent in it. Was calving during that time and MAN was that a real PILL! The next paddock was 5-6' tall and just started to notice some seedheads. By the time they were putting a dent on that paddock, everything had gone to seed. Cows milked like scolded dogs and maintained body condition VERY well. I might have screwed up on timing in regards to turning cattle into the stuff, but as it worked out, they finished grazing the fresh stuff about 2 days before we got a good frost. Went immediately into feeding the sudangrass balage in a failed attempt to give the stockpile a little more time to grow. (dry as a popcorn fart from Aug-Sept and never got much growth period) Cows were on balage until the week of Christmas, calves were 3 mos old and 90% of my cows were BCS 5-6. We had PHENOMENAL AI conception rates this year, which I believe to be a direct result of quality forage AND the fact that they had not been on any toxic fescue since August...sort of flushed their system if you will. I do not have any experience with sudangrass other than this, but it has intrigued me. There was not much left after the grazing, so I was curious how well it stockpiled and how well it held feed value.
farmguy
Well-known member
"I had some of the SS tested after freezing but not under snow. Dry matter basis CP 10.21% TDN 54.33%" Now this is Sorghum Sudan not Sudan. I planted the SS the beginning on June. With the Photo Sensitive gene I had virtually ho heading out. I do not know if that would be the case where you live. The feed value goes down with maturity. We save most of ours for winter grazing.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
farmguy The SS did not stand as well as non BMR but still stuck out above the snow and the cows started grazing strips of it before the snow and then contimued to graze as the season and snow increased. [/quote said:Have you considered stockpiling some grazing corn rather than SS to increase standability after the winter snows?
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
How many cow days per acre do you get when winter grazing SS?
farmguy
Well-known member
Well that's a tough question as it depends on the yield of SS and the weather. The rule of thumb I heard was they eat about half of the SS so if you actually make it for hay you get more. Also in spring they can go out and eat more after the snow. But I would say that with a decent crop you can get 120 cow days on an acre. Four ton yield and they eat 2 tons. 4000lbs divided by 30 lbs per day equals 133 days. Of course consumption will vary. Also strip fencing helps.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Pretty good at figurin for a farmguy.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
I think yield and utilization could be higher with grazing corn than SS, but I have never seen actual grazing data.
farmguy
Well-known member
farmguy said:Just a few comments: we are in central Minnesota and we do bale grazing and winter grazing. We have about 18 inches of snow on the level. I have done this for several years slowly increasing the bale and winter grazing. I planted sorghum sudam again this year but this year I planted a photo sensitive variety in addition to BMR. We had virtually no heading out on the SS even though we did not get a frost until well into October. The SS does not grow much in cooler temps. The SS did not stand as well as non BMR but still stuck out above the snow and the cows started grazing strips of it before the snow and then contimued to graze as the season and snow increased. Yesterday January 4th I moved the cows to bale grazing. They were still digging SS from the snow but in case of another blizzard I wanted them started on the bales. I hope no one thinks I am bragging but maybe this info would help another. farmguy
Cows are now grazing the photosensitive SS and I had a test done samples from this spring what they are actually eating. On a dry matter basis 9.46% protein and 44.15% TDN. TDN is a little low but I am giving them a round bale every other day and there is limited interest.
