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Grazing wheat can be profitable for farmers and ranchers. It is a common
sight to see cattle grazing wheat in southern Kansas. Cattle start grazing wheat in the
fall after wheat has about 6 inches of growth, several tillers, and a good root system so
the cows won’t pull plants out of the ground. (Do you remember that I asked you about
the root system and grazing last fall?) Also, cattle can graze during the winter and early
spring if there is enough wheat growth and if weather conditions are okay. If cattle are
grazing in a wheat field when it is muddy, they can compact the soil and cause some damage
to the wheat. As the wheat becomes more upright, as our wheat has become, grazing can
cause grain yield losses. Why does this happen? Good question. As the stems start to
elongate and become erect, the growing point, which is the wheat head, moves up inside the
stem. If a cow eats a stem and bits off the growing point, then that stem won’t
produce any grain. So, it is important for farmers to carefully watch the wheat to see
when the growing point is moving up and then they can take the cattle off the wheat. But,
if wheat prices are very low, as I mentioned earlier, a farmer or rancher may choose to
let the cattle graze the wheat all spring, instead of removing the cattle, letting the
wheat grow and producing grain. Farmers and ranchers have to be pretty good at math to
calculate what they would receive if they let cattle graze the wheat through the season or
if they harvest the wheat for grain. |
