Feed costs account for more than 60% of the cost of keeping cows in Illinois. Winter feeds are generally the most costly and labor intensive portion of beef production. A five year study was conducted with South Side Farms Ltd to evaluate methods of winter feed cost reduction and determine quality of feed utilized in cow/calf production. Various forage systems were compared for wintering cows. Typically cool-season grass and grass-legume mixtures stored in large round bales are utilized for winter feeding. Illinois producers are fortunate to have large acreages of corn-crop residues available for winter feeding. These systems were compared with stockpiled tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea (Schreb.) syn Lolium arundinaceum (Shreb.) Darbysh). Forage samples were collected periodically from hay and grazing crops to determine forage feed quality. The stockpiled tall fescue system helped to greatly reduce feed cost for the cow herd and maintained consistently higher quality feed than large round hay bales stored outside.