Managing Corn Residue and Double Cropped Forages in Crop and Livestock Systems

Integrating crop and livestock systems leads to opportunities to utilize land resources; however, crop producers focus on grain yields and ground cover, while livestock producers see opportunity to graze corn residue or annual forages. After wheat harvest or corn silage harvest, above ground forage production for brassica mixes and oats is greater than forage oats or oat production after high moisture corn harvest. Grazing steers on forage crops after grain harvest provides moderate gains. While annual forages provide good quality forages, corn residue grazing and utilization is still a cost-effective feedstuff for cattle producers. In the short term, grain yields do not differ for treatments that were baled, grazed, or not baled or grazed. Residue ground cover after grazing is greater than after baling. An alternative way to utilize the baled corn residue is treating corn residue with CaO; however, the energy value needs to be improved, so addition of components such as distillers solubles or crude glycerin could apply. Treating corn residue with CaO and utilizing distillers solubles, crude glycerin, and treated corn residue as a replacement for distillers grains in a brome hay diet reduced steer ADG. Combining protein, solubles and glycerin components with treated corn stover does not provide the same performance response as modified distillers grains plus solubles. Finding ways to integrate livestock and crop production is a way to become better stewards of the resources available. Advisors: James C. MacDonald and Richard J. Rasb