Current market conditions for wheat, along with the price and short availability of hay in some locations, are setting up a scenario where the growing winter wheat crop may have more value for grazing or as a hay crop this spring than to harvest it for grain.

Current market value of hay is ranging from $80 to $150 per ton. In some parts of the state, hay is in short supply. Harvested feed costs at current hay prices are ranging from $1.50 to $2.25 per cow-calf pair per day. One acre of wheat in May and early June with adequate moisture could provide 45 days or more of grazing for one cow-calf pair.

At $2 per day, this is a value of $90 per acre. For some producers, the option to graze wheat may net more value to them per acre than harvesting it for grain. This is especially true if recent weather conditions or disease have damaged wheat and will reduce expected grain yields.

Good gains on wheat

In western Nebraska, stocker cattle can be expected to gain very well on wheat during May and early June, with gains ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 pounds per head per day. After the stress of this winter, cow-calf pairs also may benefit from this high-quality grazing opportunity, especially if cow body condition needs to be improved before breeding.

Grazing wheat pasture also may provide the opportunity to get cow-calf pairs out of muddy conditions and onto clean ground, which can benefit calf health. Pasturing wheat will facilitate delaying turnout onto pastures or native range, allowing those pastures to have good growth established before the start of grazing.

When evaluating the potential for grazing wheat, consider fencing, water and the need for a sacrifice area to put cattle if wet conditions should occur. To help reduce the risk of grass tetany, a high magnesium mineral supplement should be fed to cattle starting two to four weeks ahead of turnout and during grazing.

Consider timing for hay harvest

If grazing cattle in wheat is not feasible, harvesting wheat as hay is another alternative that may net more dollars per acre than harvesting the crop as grain. Wheat harvested as forage often will yield more than 2 tons of hay per acre.

It is important to consider the livestock you plan to feed the hay to before you pick your harvest date. For young growing cattle, wheat hay should be cut in the boot stage or as soon as possible after heading to ensure good protein and energy content, as well as palatability.

If mature, dry beef cows are to be fed, harvest can be delayed a little longer to increase yield, but nutritive value and palatability will be sacrificed.

Grazing wheat or harvesting it early in the boot stage for hay also could open a window of opportunity to plant a summer annual forage into the wheat stubble as a second crop if good moisture conditions are present.

A partial budget analyzing costs and projected revenues associated with grazing cattle, cutting wheat for hay, or harvesting wheat for grain can be helpful to producers in evaluating these options.

Grazing or haying options also should be evaluated considering the potential effect that they will have on subsequent crop production, insurance and potential government payments.

Nebraska Extension has several resources available to assist producers in evaluating these opportunities: Grazing Winter Wheat in Nebraska, 2018 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates Statewide Survey and 2019 Nebraska Crop Budgets.

Berger is a Nebraska Extension educator for beef.

This report comes from UNL Beefwatch, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.