LOVELOCK - With the high price of hay and feed grains, finding a more economical way to winter your cattle is something most cattle producers are looking for. One option is to graze wheat fields during the winter months.
According to the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Factsheet, "Wheat Pasture Grazing: Agronomic, Cultural and Livestock Management Practices," written by Ron Torell, wheat has two distinct growing seasons. Winter wheat, which normally accounts for 70 to 80 percent of U.S. production, is sown in the fall and harvested in the spring or summer; spring wheat is planted in the spring and harvested in late summer or early fall.
Many producers in the southern Great Plains use wheat as a dual crop. Dual crop means grazing the forage produced during the vegetative stage as well as harvesting a grain crop. Wheat pasture is a valuable source of high-quality forage, typically available in late fall, winter or early spring, when other forage sources are low in quality and quantity.
Depending on climatic conditions, wheat pasture may be grazed in the fall, in the spring or both. During mild winters with adequate rainfall, some winter growth occurs. Most grazing occurs during late fall and early winter and again in spring, with animals removed early enough to allow good grain production. Some producers completely graze out the wheat, precluding grain harvest. During graze-out, forage production is increased and stocking rates are increased from two to three times the winter rate.
To maximize forage for grazing, early seeding, increased seeding rate and more nitrogen fertilizer is recommended. Depending on rainfall and stored soil moisture, wheat pasture is generally available for 120 - 150 days. Grazing cannot begin until the plants have adequate root development to prevent their being uprooted by grazing animals. Ordinarily, wheat is available for grazing between Oct. 15 and Nov. 15.
Grazing wheat generally affects maturity, number of culms (tillers) produced, lodging and available soil moisture. Grazed wheat usually matures one to four days later than ungrazed, with more severe grazing resulting in longer delays. Delayed maturity may expose the crop to increased stress from high temperatures and/or disease pathogens during grain filling.
Studies in Kansas and throughout the Great Plains indicate that grazing appears to have varied effects on grain yields (0-12 percent loss). Grain yield losses are minimized when fertility is adequate, grazing is not too heavy, cattle are removed before jointing, top growth removal reduces water use and lodging is reduced.
Grazing may reduce grain yields when nutrients are limited, grazing is severe, water stress is limited, lodging is a problem or wet soil conditions cause soil compaction and trampling of the wheat plants.
Both continuous and rotational grazing systems are acceptable for stocker cattle. Average daily gain on stockers on good wheat pasture is essentially the same with either system. This is true as long as adequate forage is available because the quality of vegetative wheat forage is generally high. With adequate forage, winter stocker gains can range from 1.5 to 2.5 pounds/day for a 170-day grazing period.
Optimum stocking rates vary considerably from year to year, depending on many climatic and management factors that influence wheat forage yields. Recommended fall and winter stocking rates often range from 150 - 500 pounds of animal/acre (1 - 2 acres/stocker, depending on weight). Spring stocking rates usually are 1.5 - 2.0 times greater than for fall (0.75 - 1.3 acres/stocker, depending on weight), although rates as high as 1,400 pounds of animal/acre (2.5 stockers/acre) have been noted in some research trials during later spring graze out.
So, if you have rotated your old alfalfa fields with wheat this fall, and are looking for some economical feed source for your livestock, you can always consider grazing your wheat fields to help reduce your winter feed bill.
[[In-content Ad]]
