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Increasing Forages While Decreasing the Cost of
Production
Jim Burrus
Indian Creek Farm
Grass-Finished Beef
Started Mig System in 1994• Before 1994 Continuous Grazing
System with 25 Cow/Calf pairs
• In 1994 divided pasture into 13 Paddocks using ponds and ditches for water
• In 1995 Installed Well and 4000 ft. of pipeline
• 1996 added 4000 ft. of pipeline W/EQIP
• Water in all pastures/paddocks
BEFORE and AFTER Mig!
• BEFORE Mig• 25 cows w/calves• Spring Calving• Sold calves in Nov
off of cows
• AFTER Mig• 60 cows w/calves• Spring/Fall Calving• Retaining stockers
& background through July
• Currently 10 head of Grass finished calves
Cows on Stockpiled Fescue
Extended the Grazing Season
• 1997 Started unrolling hay and quit hauling manure
• Divided Paddocks in half now (26)
• 1998 Started weaning calves on grass and Stockpiling Fescue
• 1999 Started Converting cropland to grassland
Cereal Rye Awaiting the Cows
Overseed Cereal Rye into standing corn August 15
Sometimes Jim has help with monitoring the pastures!
Apply 50 units of N/acre (ammonia nitrate) August 15th.
Tall Fescue fertilized with 50-100 lbs. Of N in August can yield 2000-4000 lbs. dry matter per acre containing 8-16% crude protein.
Nitrogen will increase yield and quality of stockpiled forage—yield response is about 20 lbs. dry matter for a pound of N.
Weaned Calves on Grass, Max-Q and White Clover 2004
Planted New Forage Varieties • 1999 Seeded Fawn Fescue and ?
Orchard-grass• 2000 Planted BG-34 Ryegrass/Mara
Ryegrass/Alice White Clover• This was in preparation to finish cattle
on grass and to improve forage yields• 2001 Started using Cereal Rye in Corn
stalks • 2002 Established Max-Q Fescue and
Patriot White Clover
Grass Finished Calves on Green Spirit Ryegrass (Bi-annual)
Forage TestGreen Spirit Ryegrass
• Date Tested 12/27/04• % Crude Protein 15• % Acid Detergent Fiber 22.9• % Neutral Detergent Fiber 37.9• % TDN 71• NEL, (Mcal/lb) .76• NEM, (Mcal/lb) .76• NEG, (Mcal/Lb) .48• Relative Feed Value 176
Grass Finishing Beef
• 2003 began finishing Grass fed Beef
• Calves are finished in 19 months
• Genetics and grass in combination
• What to graze in July and August?
• Improved CLA levels in grass fed meat
19 Month Old Grass Finished Steer on Italian Ryegrass
So Where Do We Go From Here....