Latimer, Iowa (north central) | Update: Planted the corn following where we grazed cattle last winter today. Planted very nice, field is pattern tiled.
We grazed 1 head per acre of yearlings out here for - little over 100 days last fall on sorghum Sudan, millet, radishes and turnips. Posted about it last fall but they averaged over 3 lbs per day rate of gain.
No tilled the corn with a case 2160 with hydraulic downforce and no row cleaners at 5.5 mph. Auto on the delta force at 140-150 lbs. turned up closer pressure to 24 from 20.
Field had the cattle graze last fall, this spring we put on 2200 gallons per acre of hog manure, 100 units or so N, along with 2 ton of ground eggshells, and 1 ton of chicken litter. Will sidedress 50 units 32% for about 200 units N applied, yield goal of 250 bpa.
Edit to add: we did roll the field before planting as the manure bar left it too rough. It is a coulter bar, minimal toll but still left it rougher than liked.
Planting non GMO corn, will use no insecticide, no fungicide. The 3 cash crop rotation of soy, oats, corn has allowed us to eliminate those expenses. Part of the drive to be a low cost per bushel producer on commodity crops.
Pics of cattle last fall, planting today into the stubble, and of oats in a different field. Downforce maps shows compaction from the manure tanks but overall very good. Cereal rye is thin this year. Too dry last fall. As always feedback is appreciated and interesting.
The little oat mill project is going well. Ramped up projected capacity to 4 M bushels year due to consumer demand.
Edited by Green Acres Guy 4/30/2025 16:39
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Planting corn following cattle/sorghum/oats, pics
