If we can't get at least 50 more round bales and 100 square bales we are definately going to look into feeding more grains and such. Yes it means more work but at least I can save some of my cattle and horses. We are a small outfit and this kind of stuff will definately make or break ya. We are in West Liberty KY and hay is not easy to find at all, getting more and more elusive by the day and people are trying to get rich off of it in one year. I understand supply and demand but I also understand greed. In the Lexington paper people are selling roles for $75.00 and squares for $5.00. I just can't afford to keep going for that. I also heard of someone waking up one morning and finding a mare and colt in there pasture. They found a note and $20.00 in the mailbox, it said to take care of them please. I believe it's gonna get worse before it get's better.
big hay problem!!!
- Thread starter 3rdgeneration farmer
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HEREFORD ROADHOG
Well-known member
HEREFORD ROADHOG":1p8k62nc said:
GUESS WHAT WE COULDNT BUY A RAIN MOST OF THE SUMMER EVEN WHEN THEY PROMISED IT . THIS MORNING THEY SAID JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE .YOU GUESSED IT...WET HAY NOW :x
GMN
Well-known member
williew":3ddaxigq said:
I feel for you. I know it is hard to afford the hay prices when they get to be that high, especially when your operation is smaller.
I'm not convinced that you can supplement your cattle just on grain, I think they do need forage, but maybe you can feed the grain supplements and cut way back on the amount of hay, and by rationing it, make it thru the winter. A good way to ration I think would be to feed all square bales-- Good luck hope it all works out.
GMN
preston39
Well-known member
==========krenwic":20ywxoeu said:
kren...,
Aside from added cost it seems you are missing an item...what about roughage and filler? If you attempt to satisfy those elements with high protein...troubles in the rumen.....and costly.
The reason for hay as fillers...even at low protein.
krenwic
Well-known member
preston39,
never once did i mention this ration as a complete feed. as a supplement along with hay or winter grazing, one can stretch their forage without overspending or getting "gouged" by extreme hay prices. limited lbs./head/day, especially with the higher protein feeds, is all that is needed.
never once did i mention this ration as a complete feed. as a supplement along with hay or winter grazing, one can stretch their forage without overspending or getting "gouged" by extreme hay prices. limited lbs./head/day, especially with the higher protein feeds, is all that is needed.
krenwic
Well-known member
TSR,
the general rule of thumb for cottonseed is about 5 lbs./head/day for average size cows (1000-1200lbs). a neighbor of mine has fed this "as is" to supplement brood cows during tough winters and has had good results with body condition as well as breeding back. be careful when feeding it to your bulls, though, as it will lower their semen counts while they are on the feed. data shows they are back to normal once resuming a more normal diet. maybe someone else can testify to the cottonseed hulls?
krenwic
the general rule of thumb for cottonseed is about 5 lbs./head/day for average size cows (1000-1200lbs). a neighbor of mine has fed this "as is" to supplement brood cows during tough winters and has had good results with body condition as well as breeding back. be careful when feeding it to your bulls, though, as it will lower their semen counts while they are on the feed. data shows they are back to normal once resuming a more normal diet. maybe someone else can testify to the cottonseed hulls?
krenwic
krenwic
Well-known member
try this thread from the feedyards board:
http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39553&start=0
http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39553&start=0
molassesman
Member
8) Here in fla. you can feed suga-lik brand liquid molasses, which is fully fortified has all the vitamins,minerals,salt, everything cattle needs,as long as they have some kind of roughage,it doesn,t have to be high quality hay or grasses.product#820 is formulated for e-z flow and handling during the winter months and is 32%protein. they have many other products that will match your needs, cattle consume about 3#per day per cow,roughly .40 cents a day per cow,if you want to check it out go to http://www.suga-lik.com. I have been using it for about 7 years and do pretty good on it.
preston39
Well-known member
=====krenwic":ucz46xxu said:
Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant with these points.
3rdgeneration farmer
Well-known member
kyandy":28rscert said:
If you can provide me with a # to call, I'd consider traveling there.
Crowderfarms":3m19ruib said:
In my area we're getting pellets (corn gluten/soyhull mix) that's 16% shipped here. The feed is made in your state but I have no idea what part or a name to go with the area. We're locked in on $160 per ton now. Have 11 train car loads being unloaded this week and stored for winter. I have enough hay to make it to April if I use the pellets and have done this before. If you'd like I can find out where this feed is being made. The guy I buy from has to add shipping cost and with fuel prices being what it is, he's paying around $100 + or - per ton. He had been trucking the feed in but so many are buying he's getting it by rail now. Last year I paid $120 per ton. If you can get the feed and use 17-20 pounds of hay per head and 5-8 pounds of the pellets the cows will do fine through winter. Need to put some fat on cows now before cold weather sets in too. I've been off grass for 3 weeks now and the cows are plumping up pretty good now.
So far as hay there's little to be found here. There's some east of me I found out about yesterday for $40 per roll and 4x5 rolls. We'll have to haul about 80 miles one way. That area had some rain and they have some hay. Nothing anywhere close to what you're looking for though. The fuel is the biggest cost. Neighbor has a 2 ton flat bed and pulls a 30' pintle hitch behind it. He's hauling out of Harrisonburg Va. now. Gas engine truck uses $163 gas for one round trip. The diesel is a little better but not much.
May take me a day or two to find the location of the feed plant, so if you need that info send me a PM.
Back in 1964 we had hay come in by rail. Local lumber mill set up the shipping. I've seen the national guard haul hay in before too. I also remember back in those days the national news reported on those areas of drought and the need for hay which you see little or no coverage of today. The extent of the drought may be reported soon. Water is running out down the east coast for cities. The moans and groans will start soon. Golf courses will soon have to shut down. You'll see it on the news then. :lol:
Some farmers just off Rt.60 were stopped from irrigating last month. That stream fed the water supply for lynchburg Va. Lynchburg is now pulling more than 75% of their water from the James river. Those mountain streams are running very slow and many have stopped. Last week I heard on the radio that the city of Durham (NC.) had 79 days of water left. It's worse going south and west too. It's going to be interesting to see what happens when some of these large cities run out of water. I hope they have a plan. They are about to partake in what we've been dealing with for a good while now. When water generated power plants start shutting down and water has to be trucked in to cities we may have to take shits as armed guards to protect what we have. I hope that doesn't happen but it's getting closer every day now. Sorry to get off topic but just wanted to point out the rest of the nation will find out soon the extent of the drought.
Hay is high but wait till the water runs out. We may be selling water instead of hay and cows.
K&G CATTLE
Member
If you can get it hauled check out http://www.southeasttexas .com
Look under farm and ranch classified ads.
25.00 to 40.00 a bale all day long.
hope it helps out!
K&G CATTLE
Look under farm and ranch classified ads.
25.00 to 40.00 a bale all day long.
hope it helps out!
K&G CATTLE
Hayes' Farms":1bk70616 said:
Heck, it went for 100.00 a roll and up here last winter. Square bales for 10.00 a pop. Feed store here still selling square coastal for 8.75 a bale. I bout fell out when I heard them tell a lady in the store that. There's hay everywhere this year. Here in this area of the country anyway. I feel your pain. We went two years in a row without significant rainfall.
I'm only about 40 minutes from Bowling Green, if you don't have any luck finding any PM me and I will see if I can find you some. If it wasn't for the Johnson grass that came up after we baled the oats we would be in a bind. The stuff has been cussed around here for as long as I can remember for being a nuisance weed, odd now that it is what will pull us thru the winter, heck if I would not get run out of the county I would like to plant some, drought resistant and makes alot of hay.
Billy Bob
Member
Call Wayne Gaskins, Jill Adamson's dad. He's sold some here and there and may have some, dunno.
preston39
Well-known member
=========tuck":wx5zrlh3 said:
Tuck...,
Point well made.
We know a fellow up in Marysville Indiana who has about 40 acres of JG and he cuts it 2-3, sometimes 4 times each year. We have been watching and his cows in late winter look great.
Our Angus bulls there do well. I think he is on to something.
We recently delivered two bulls there and brought back 9 bales. We plan to seperate and winter 3-4 cows on it this time and confirm our feelings.
The neighbors just have to understand.
