Baled Corn Stalks, mineral, and what else?

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travlnusa

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I will be changing from baled hay to baled corn stalks this coming week.

While I know they will be less than thrilled about the change, do I need to be feeding anything else to suppletment the bales? If so, what would be recommended?

I am OK with them losing one body score point before late spring calving.

Thanks.
 
The University of Michigan has a free excel program that covers several different feeding scenarios with information on hunderds of feeds. You may want to look at it. It also allows you to customize it for your area (temperature).
 
Is there any chance you have a link bookmarked? If not, no big deal, I can hunt for it.

Thanks

Edited to add, If you can lead me in the right direction, I would be grateful as I cant find it on their vast website.
 
We were short on hay last year and had to feed a lot of stalks. Had two groups of cows here at home, gave one group a lick tank and supplemented the other with range cubes for comparison. The lick tank group would eat pretty near the whole bale with little waste, their consumption seemed to go up with the lick tank. They did not hold body condition as good as the cube group. The cube group didn't eat as much, and was more finicky with the stalks, but they looked great. Gave them about 5lbs/head every other day.

Thankfully this year we've got hay out the yin-yang so I haven't bought the first lb of supplement, don't plan on it.
 
Do you think a protien lick tub would work as well as range cubes?

I know I should be chopping the bales and adding DDG or Glutten, but do not have the chopper do the job right, so working on Plan B.

Keep the help coming, I am thankful.
 
travlnusa":3ri6v0ni said:
Is there any chance you have a link bookmarked? If not, no big deal, I can hunt for it.

Thanks

Edited to add, If you can lead me in the right direction, I would be grateful as I cant find it on their vast website.
Actually it would be Michigan State University, not U of M. I think Ohio State University actually had some real up to date data online about corn stalks.
 
Most all I have read suggests adding DDG.

How should this be fed? On top of stalks in the bale ring or in a feed trough?

Thanks for the help here all.
 
The reason you can't find it on the U of Mich site is because my memory must be gone. It is actually the University of Minnesota. It is titled U of M Beef Cow Ration Balancer. It is one of the better free ones that I have seen. Hope this helps.
 
blacksnake":2887fsdv said:
The reason you can't find it on the U of Mich site is because my memory must be gone. It is actually the University of Minnesota. It is titled U of M Beef Cow Ration Balancer. It is one of the better free ones that I have seen. Hope this helps.

THIS IS GREAT! Thank you very much for taking time out of your day to help me out!

Have a great weekend.
 
travlnusa":1finvbl3 said:
Do you think a protien lick tub would work as well as range cubes?

They both serve a purpose. Your cows are going to need some amount of add'n protein if you're feeding them stalks, how much I can't tell you. Area, temp, cows, stage of preg, ..., all come into play. I think the cows get more bang for the buck out of the cubes but the lick tanks make them eat more. Also depends on what you can get your hands on cheap locally. Best of luck.
 

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