Diversification of farm income and increased production efficiency on the same land base is possible by integrating livestock grazing and grain production. Our objective was to determine the effect of grazing winter cover crops on subsequent corn grain yield and ear quality. The experiment was conducted near Abelardo Luz, Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil from 2004 to 2005. A winter cover crop of oat (Avena strigosa) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) was subjected to five whole plot grazing intensities (not grazed and grazed for 3, 6, 9, and 12 wk) and two subplot (108 m²) N rates (0, 150 kg ha^-1) in a randomized complete block design with 4 replicates. Continous stocking of cattle was managed to leave a sward height >20 cm prior to no-till planting of corn (Zea mays). Grazing intensity and N rate treatments in winter interacted to affect subsequent grain yield and ear quality. When N was applied to winter pasture, there subsequent corn yield increased up to 9 wk of winter grazing (y = -6.9x² +131.8x + 9560, r² = 0.68*), whereas corn yield began to declined as of 6 wk of winter grazing when no N was applied in winter (y = -5.9x² +54.1x + 9443, r² = 0.72*). There was a linear decline in number of corn ears with insect damage as grazing intensity increased, especially when the winter pasture had been fertilized with N (y = 84.8 –3.75x, r² = 0.90**) compared to where no N had been applied to the pasture (y = 71.3 –2.21x, r² = 0.93**). We conclude that leaving more winter cover crop residue prior to planting corn favored establishment of a larger insect population, and that winter grazing of cover crops has a positive effect on subsequent corn productivity.