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Demonstrating differences between monoculture corn and intercropped corn in an extensive winter grazing system

 

Project Details

  • Project Lead: MBFI

  • Years: 2019-2021

  • Project Status: Complete

  • Funding & In-Kind Support: Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Pride Seeds, DLF Pickseed, Northstar Seed, Imperial Seed, Zeghers Canada

  • Location: Brookdale Farm

  • Scope: Demonstration

  • Keywords: Intercropping, Annual Forages, Extended Grazing

Approach

Plant an annual forage crop between corn rows to increase overall yield and provide protein for grazing beef cattle.

Key Findings

Corn Yield:

  • Corn yield is generally lower in the 60” row spacing.

  • Presence of an intercrop between row had no consistent effect on corn yield.

Between Row Yield:

  • Between row yield is higher in the 60” rows.

  • Yield of the intercrop is generally comparable to the weeds in the no intercrop treatment.

Forage Quality:

  • Corn consistently shows low crude protein and high energy.

  • The intercrop generally has higher quality than between row weeds.

  • The presence of an intercrop does not impact the crude protein of the corn plants.

  • Further work is required to determine if the intercrop provides sufficient protein to meet the needs of a beef cow without supplemental hay.

Grazing Days:

  • Grazing days were impacted by the number of cows and the corn yield. Bales were always supplemented for protein and roughage.

  • Availability of both corn and intercrop can be dramatically impacted by snow and wind. Grazing prior to snowfall is recommended to improve the intake of the intercrop by cattle.

Cost of Production:

  • Field preparation and corn seeding costs are the same for each treatment. Intercrop treatments added second seeding costs so overall cost per acre of establishing the intercrop is higher.

  • In all years, the corn intercrop system cost less than the bale feeding scenario.

Corn yield by row spacing and between row treatment.

Between row yield in a corn intercropping demonstration.

Corn crude protein by year, corn variety, row spacing, and between row treatment.

Total digestible nutrients of whole corn plant by year, corn variety, row spacing, and between row treatment.