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....