Farmers who switch to feed corn for next fall’s grazing season should proceed with caution.
The western forage beef group based at Lacombe, Alta., did a year-long trial comparing corn with traditional feeds like barley.
“These trials are showing that small grain cereals do as well or better than the corn,” said specialist Myron Bjorge of the forage group.
The group is an amalgamation of Agriculture Canada scientists and extension specialists researching management of beef herds and forage.
While there has been considerable publicity extolling the virtues of corn as a silage or swath grazing crop, the Lacombe researchers say farmers should compare its performance against tried and true crops like barley, oats and triticale, which are most commonly grown in Alberta.
Read Also
Calf hormone implants can give environmental, financial wins
Hormone implants can lead to bigger calves — reducing greenhouse gas intensity, land use intensity and giving the beef farmer more profit, Manitoba-based model suggests.
“Anytime there is a new crop to be considered, it would be a good idea to get information that compares it with another crop that is known,” said Bjorge.
Alberta trial results from 1999 compared five varieties of corn with oats, barley and triticale in terms of silage production and swath grazing.
Plots at Lacombe in central Alberta and Brooks in the south were seeded May 5 and 28 respectively. Phosphorus, potassium and sulfur were applied at amounts based on soil test recommendations.
Corn is a heat-loving crop and requires 1,800 heat units. These units measure the accumulation of degrees over the base temperature that are required for corn to grow. During last year’s cooler summer, Lacombe had 1,794 heat units and Brooks had 2,047.
If temperatures remain above 25 C, it will grow more quickly than the cool-season crops usually grown in Alberta. However, outside the far southern regions of the province, Alberta temperatures are barely adequate to guarantee a crop. Therefore, yields are variable.
“When growing corn in these areas that are just marginally warm enough, the corn yield will bounce around a whole lot more than the small grain cereal,” said Bjorge.
“Inconsistency is a cost.”
The researchers also noted corn does not compete well against weeds because it starts slowly in spring.
The research found the following:
- Oats and triticale yielded more than corn at Lacombe. Barley was similar in yield to corn.
- Cereal yields were similar to or greater than corn yields at Brooks.
- Barley had the highest quality of the small grain cereals. Barley and triticale were greater to or similar to Amaizing Grace corn in most quality aspects. The corn varieties generally had higher quality than oats or triticale.
- The conventional corn hybrids did as well or better than Amaizing Grace or Canamaize for yield. This was also true for quality loss from September to December to January.
- At Lacombe, the Canamaize had a lower percentage of dry matter due to its early maturity. This would make it more suitable for silage earlier in the season.
- Canamaize and Pioneer 39N03 had higher forage quality, possibly due to some kernel development in these varieties as a result of early maturity. Generally these varieties do not form true cobs.
- Quality of corn harvested in December and January was a suitable maintenance diet for pregnant beef cows. The quality of corn at this time was lower than that of barley and triticale harvested in August.
