The upcoming Driftless Region Beef Conference will spotlight competitive advantages of Midwest beef producers compared to beef producers in other areas of the country. The conference will be held Jan. 26-27, 2017, at the Grand River Conference Center in Dubuque, Iowa.

“We hear a lot of discussion about the challenges of raising cattle on corn ground, yet that is one of our biggest competitive advantages over beef producers in other parts of the country,” noes Denise Schwab, beef program specialist with Iowa State University Extension. “We are really excited to feature two of the leading researchers in the country to talk about the synergies between cattle and corn.”

Will grazing create soil compaction and reduce corn yields?
One of the major concerns is that cattle trampling could negatively affect soil properties and crop yields. However, research at the University of Nebraska has shown that grazing corn residue at the recommended stocking rate does not reduce corn or soybean yields.

In fact, a long-term study at Mead, Neb. showed slight improvements (2 to 3 bushels per acre) in soybean production following grazed corn residue when managed in a corn-soybean rotation. This result was the same regardless of whether cattle were grazed in the fall (November-January) or the spring (February-April).

CATTLE AND CORN: The 2017 Driftless Region Beef Conference will spotlight competitive advantages of Midwest beef producers, including the opportunity to raise beef cattle on corn ground. Two of the leading researchers in the country will talk about the synergies between cattle and corn at the Jan. 26-27 event in Dubuque, Iowa.

Removing some of the crop residue was actually beneficial
Another concern is removal of crop residue which is important to reduce potential soil erosion. However, Nebraska research has shown that removing some of the crop residue actually is beneficial by allowing the soil to warm up earlier in the spring and reduce some of the challenges of seed placement at planting.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota have also looked at the crop residue via cattle feed, but their focus was more on how to optimize corn yield, feed conversion efficiency and crop residue management for optimum gross return per acre. They compared the interactions of cattle performance and crop yield when corn was harvested as either silage, high-moisture ear corn, or dry corn and fed to heavy yearling steers through finishing.

Mary Drewnoski from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Alfredo DiCostanzo from the University of Minnesota will share more of their research on how cattle and corn production can benefit both systems.

Register now to attend this upcoming conference Jan. 26-27
The early registration fee of $85 per person must be received prior to midnight, January 13. The price increases to $115 after that date. More information on topics, speakers, lodging and registration with links for online and mailing forms is available at aep.iastate.edu/beef.

The Driftless Region Beef Conference is sponsored by ISU Extension and Outreach, University of Illinois Extension, the University of Minnesota Extension and University of Wisconsin Extension. For more information or to receive a brochure, contact Schwab at 319-472-4739.