best way to supplement poor hay ?

[lakeviewwalker]

I have 3 heifers and a bred cow. My heifers look good in my opinion. Not fat but not skinny the cow is a different story she is due in July and I will cull her in late fall but she is slowly loosing condition. I feed free choice Timothy hay. And I know that that isn't great but its what I have I also have a heifer replacement lick tub for them. My question is what is the best way to put some weight back on her. Supplement with alfalfa? Or corn or something else

 

[Chris H]

If the cow is with the heifers, I'd expect her to be in as good of condition as them. Here are a few things I can think why she's not.
1. She's carrying twins. This is our #1 reason a bred cow is in worse condition than her group.
2. She could be wormier than the heifers.
3. If she's older, she could have issues with her teeth.


Does she have access to the lick tub? Is that tub for energy or protein? If it's protein, I'd supplement that cow with 3-5 lbs of shelled corn/day. If it's energy, I'd supplement the cow with protein.

 

[angus9259]

Strange that a cow won't keep condition on free choice timothy. How old is she? You can use just about anything - as long as it has a higher TDN than timothy. But, if she's old and doesn't have teeth, you may have a hard time getting anything to work. Have you looked at all issues - worming, health, Johnes, etc? Pouring feed into a cow that can't make it on Timothy just seems like a bad bet - you'll spend more money feeding her than a July calf is worth.

 

[Chris H]

Strange that a cow won't keep condition on free choice timothy. How old is she? You can use just about anything - as long as it has a higher TDN than timothy. But, if she's old and doesn't have teeth, you may have a hard time getting anything to work. Have you looked at all issues - worming, health, Johnes, etc? Pouring feed into a cow that can't make it on Timothy just seems like a bad bet - you'll spend more money feeding her than a July calf is worth.

Depends on how mature that timothy is. If it was fully headed out when made, it might not be much more than straw for food value.

 

[Anonymous]

Strange that a cow won't keep condition on free choice timothy. How old is she? You can use just about anything - as long as it has a higher TDN than timothy. But, if she's old and doesn't have teeth, you may have a hard time getting anything to work. Have you looked at all issues - worming, health, Johnes, etc? Pouring feed into a cow that can't make it on Timothy just seems like a bad bet - you'll spend more money feeding her than a July calf is worth.

Depends on how mature that timothy is. If it was fully headed out when made, it might not be much more than straw for food value.

Man I wish the people that make hay down here had half the brains of this board. Ask them what cutting it was and they look at you like you just spoke Chinese

 

[lakeviewwalker]

It is second cutting on the timothy but I didn't have it tested I guess I should have. I kept thinking spring would come and she would fatten up on some good pasture but as for now we still have snow cover and condition appears to be getting worse. I wish I would have shipped her last fall but now that I didn't I feel I should wait for her to calve maybe she has a different problem. She is old she has teeth though and I wormed her this fall and again this winter

 

[Kingfisher]

Cubes 20% + decent hay+water+mineral or ship em.