A:   Excellent question and the answer is - - it depends. Corn stalk residue is an excellent fedd resource for beef cows. Due to better corn genetics and picking efficiencies of combines, there is not much ear-drop left in the field. However, the husk, leaf and cob are good energy sources and the husk and leaf combine can be similar in protein content as average quality grass hay. Cattle are selective grazers and select the most nutritious components of the stalk field first. So as grazing days on the stalk field increase, nutrient quality decreases. So as spring-calving cows move closer to calving, their protein and energy needs increase and protein content of the residue falls short. This is based on some data we collected using fistulate steers.

We have been conducting an experiment supplementing spring-calving cows grazing crop residue and have not got much of a response supplementing cows peotein and energy. Cows on our experiment are in good condition going on to stalks - - BCS 5.5 average -- and this may be the reason for the lack of response to supplementation. Also, the cows on our experiment are 3-yr-olds or older.

With all that said, if cows are a little thin and you are trying to pick up condition, supplementing with some protein using alfalfa would help do that. Also, if there are a bunch of young females in the herd, supplementation would be good. I think cows will be between .4 and .6 pounds deficient in protein and if the alfalfa is between 15 to 16% crude protein, yo will need to feed between 3.5 to 5 lb/hd/da or 10.5 to 15 lb/hd every third day.