As many folks, I did not have a very good corn crop this year, made worse by my ridiculously late planting.  I also tried a different hybrid which was supposed to be "just like" the Kaltenberg hybrid I have been using for grazing in previous years. Maybe it was the year and weather but this one does not stand like the other.  It points out the importance of choosing the right hybrid to do this.

Like everyone else I am trying to stretch my hay supply so I broke with my original plan and let the bred cows and heifers on some very poor corn for a few days to put on some condition before they go to their winter pasture and hay only. These girls really use up the fodder better than steers I am trying to finish.

Yesterday, just ahead of today's snow and coming "blizzard" conditions later this week, I moved the bred group to their hay only winter sacrifice area and the steers and heifer calves to corn access.  when I start them on corn I alway use a limited area and put an especially good bale of hay out to let the rumens adjust gradually. The hay bale is in the area of stalks cleaned up by the cows in pic 1588 a few days earlier.

Here are a few pictures. I like seeing them full and lying down ruminating, oblivious to the snow. They are full and generating heat under those thick Hereford hides and winter coats, and putting on weight I hope.

Here are a few pictures of the cows briefly in some poor corn then the calves in corn after the switch.

Jim

(IMG_1576_cows briefly in poor corn 120712.jpg)

(IMG_1588_cows briefly in corn 121212.jpg)

(IMG_1598_some calves first day access to corn w good hay behind 121712.jpg)

(IMG_1601_calves full of corn and hay in snow 121812.jpg)

(IMG_1603_heifer calf full of corn and hay in snow 121812.jpg)

IMG_1576_cows briefly in poor corn 120712.jpg (87KB - 116 downloads)

IMG_1588_cows briefly in corn 121212.jpg (72KB - 114 downloads)

IMG_1598_some calves first day access to corn w good hay behind 121712.jpg (64KB - 124 downloads)

IMG_1601_calves full of corn and hay in snow 121812.jpg (50KB - 111 downloads)

IMG_1603_heifer calf full of corn and hay in snow 121812.jpg (49KB - 117 downloads)