Anyone ever graze soy beans?

[JRapp]

We've got several smaller soy bean fields that just aren't going to amount to much. I was thinking of turning cattle out in them rather than feed so much hay. The beans are still technically in the growing stage, so they are green, but have very few if any pods.

Anyone ever do this? Any concerns with this?

Thanks for any input.

 

[wfq]

I'd make sure you have the cattle full before turning them on and only leave them on for two or three hours for the first couple of times if that is possible.  Beans can cause them to bloat somewhat like grazing alfalfa.  If you could feed some bloat guard to them it would help

 

[BLSC]

Soybeans are about 38% protein (this could be different when they are still in field with the plant etc), this could cause you cattle to become very loose so make sure they have access to plenty of water also. I would talk to one of your local nutritionists to be safe. Because of the drought you may also want to check nitrate levels  in the beans. I'm just throwing things out there. Good luck!

 

[nkotb]

You should not have trouble with Nitrate levels in the soybeans.  They also will not be that high of protein levels if they have gone into reproductive stages (blooming and putting on pods).  Think about alfalfa, we want to cut it around 10% bloom to find a happy medium between tonnage and quality.  Soybeans aren't much different.  Once they have started setting pods and trying to produce beans, the protein levels are going to drop as they are moving products around and using these products to try to produce seed.  If I was going to graze soybeans at this stage, I would have a good dry grass hay source out, as well as filling them up with some dry grass hay before turning them out.  I don't think the nutrition is going to be as good as alfalfa, but if you're in the same situation we are in NW Kansas, any green to graze is good.

 

[bruiser]

i think I would cut and bale them. My grandpa called soybeans "cowpeas". He said they cut and baled them for feed back in the day.

 

[nkotb]

There is actually a crop called cowpeas, don't want anyone to get confused.  Why would you spend the money to swath and bale, then haul them off the field to where the cows are to feed, then turn around and haul the manure out of wherever you feed the cows, when you could just put a fence around the field and let the cattle do the work for you?

 

[steerpimp]

My grandpas cows graze this neighbors beans all the time.

 

[Mueller Show Cattle]

I would cut and bale them also if there is enough there to do that, also if you can buy some time and think they will pod out with some time, I would allow them to pod out, like nkotb said they will drop in protein level when they start putting pods on if they have not yet. We use to feed soybeen hay in Missouri to cows and they love it and has great nutritional value.