Barley?

[Howdyjabo]

I have a neighbor that for some reason cannot pencil out selling a crop of Barley.
He wanted to know about feeding it out thru calves.

I don't know anything about feeding Barley-- any input I can pass along to him?

 

[certherfbeef]

I believe that barley can be digested better than corn. Energy value of the barley is lower than corn but barley is higher in fiber than corn.

Will he feed it whole or rolled? Dry or wet?

Just my preference here but we feed it (when we have it) dry and rolled.

 

[msscamp]

I have a neighbor that for some reason cannot pencil out selling a crop of Barley.

The guy who rents our farmground has grown barley a time or two and, as I understand it, barley is usually grown in the hopes of selling it to breweries for use in manufacturing beer. It sounds like his barley crop maybe did not make the grade and that could be why it won't 'pencil out'.

 

[Howdyjabo]

He has a mixer grinder-- so I 'm assuming he'll put it in whole and grind it up-- unless feeding it whole alone would work.

I think you may be right about quality(or maybe quantity) being why he can't sell it-- it was a very wet spring delayed planting-- then turned off hot and dry.

 

[msscamp]

I think you may be right about quality(or maybe quantity) being why he can't sell it-- it was a very wet spring delayed planting-- then turned off hot and dry.

Again, as I understand it, it's quality - not quantity. The conditions you're describing would certainly affect the quality of the barley.

 

[mnmtranching]

There's a lot of Barley for one reason or another does not make brewers grade. And places like MT, ND, WY, and Western Canada use Barley for cattle feed all the time. It will do the same thing as corn as far as fattening cattle. Just not quite as good as corn.

mnmt

 

[AngusSenorita]

barley will fatten an animal, I belive it puts they healthier type of fat on, but it will take longer. Also, I'm pretty sure barley is more likely to cause acidosis, that is why it is not fed at such hig rate(that and corn is cheaper)

 

[Howdyjabo]

Well I read some and listened here- so I told hubby to tell him to just feed it by itself this year- instead of buying feed to supplement his cows and calves.

If anyone thinks that advice is a mistake I'd love to hear it before its too late

 

[msscamp]

Also, I'm pretty sure barley is more likely to cause acidosis, that is why it is not fed at such hig rate(that and corn is cheaper)

Whether or not corn is cheaper is strictly a regional thing that varies from area to area. As for acidosis - it is simply the condition that results from feeding to much of any type grain too fast. Grain - regardless of the type - has to be fed slowly in order to allow the microbes that digest it to build up in the rumen. The same thing is true when taking an animal off grain - it has to be done slowly in order to let the microbes die or acidosis will result.

 

[rk]

Don't wish to hijack thread, but going further on acidosis. It is usually caused by too much or too rapid fermentation of carbohydrates. This can result from too much grain at one time, increasing the grain intake too quickly, or grinding grain too finely, causing the pH in the rumen to drop.

Not sure that it can be caused by taking cattle off grain. At least never heard of it.

 

[dun]

Not sure that it can be caused by taking cattle off grain. At least never heard of it.

I'm not sure if it's really acidosis when they're taken off to quickly, but it can make them do poorly and get sick. Just as you have to ramp up to a grain ration so that the rumen flora for processing grain can increase, you have to ramp them down so that the other rumen flaora have a chance to rebuild so they can digest the other stuff.

dun

 

[rk]

Not sure that it can be caused by taking cattle off grain. At least never heard of it.

I'm not sure if it's really acidosis when they're taken off to quickly, but it can make them do poorly and get sick. Just as you have to ramp up to a grain ration so that the rumen flora for processing grain can increase, you have to ramp them down so that the other rumen flaora have a chance to rebuild so they can digest the other stuff.

dun

I totally agree.

 

[msscamp]

Not sure that it can be caused by taking cattle off grain. At least never heard of it.

According to our vet, my niece (who has a Phd in animal nutrition), and our experience - it can definitely happen.

 

[rk]

okay......

 

[Stocker Steve]

Google barley and ND, and then call your feed guy for a balanced ration. ND has a lot of feeding data on barley and sprouted barley malt pellets because it is too dry to grow good corn in much of the state and barley is hard to sell.

My neighbor blends it with corn to feed out steers.

 

[frenchie]

Well I read some and listened here- so I told hubby to tell him to just feed it by itself this year- instead of buying feed to supplement his cows and calves.

If anyone thinks that advice is a mistake I'd love to hear it before its too late

As Stocker Steve said .. Get someone to do a balanced ration for you. Barley is nothing to mess around with.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Frenchie--- is Barley any more trouble than corn would be ??

 

[frenchie]

Frenchie--- is Barley any more trouble than corn would be ??

As I have never fed corn , other than grazing corn to cattle I can,t tell you.

but I have seen people feed too hot a mix with barley in it.Thats why I suggest to get a balanced ration done if you have not fed it before.

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