Benefits of supplements

[42acres]

what would be the negative affects, on cattle, of feeding only hay in winter and grazing pasture when available? No supplements are other feeds. Would this effect breeding or calving ability?

 

[dun]

what would be the negative affects, on cattle, of feeding only hay in winter and grazing pasture when available? No supplements are other feeds. Would this effect breeding or calving ability?

Depends on the quality of thr hay/pasture. As long as you provide a good blanced mineral for your area there generally isn;t a problem. If we're heading into a extremely cold spell during winter we'll feed some CG pellets. Or if the hay is really crappy we'll do the same. Otherwise,grass/hay, minerals, water and something to block the cold winterwinds is all that's required. They have to be going into winter in decent conditin, no bags of bones. The eye of the herdsman will tell you if you need to supplemnt

dun

 

[rk]

Generally speaking, unless your forage is really good, they'll benefit from protein supplementation. It'll help them utilize the forage better. The lower the quality of the forage, the more positive the benefit from protein supplementation.
A good mineral program is a must....year around.

 

[C HOLLAND]

A good mineral program is a must....year around.

RK

I totally agree with you about the free choice mineral, I look at other cattle in my area and they never look as good as mine and then when I start asking questions about what they do to their pastures and what type of mineral they use. I get the same answer alot, "We use (trace) mineral blocks and let the cows do their own fertilizing the pasture. I know of one person here that never fert his pasture and hauls hay to the cows year round. He says they are doing fine and giving me a calf every year.

I can only say What you put in is what you get back (CRAP) :roll: