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Concrete Feeding Pads
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<blockquote data-quote="Anonymous" data-source="post: 10588"><p>Thanks to all of you for your comments. I put the pencil to the concrete pads idea and didn't much like the result --- concrete, etc. is pretty darn expensive, even more so than I had roughly guessed. Am going to look into perhaps putting up some simple pole barn type structures, but just with roofs and no sides. These could double as equipment or hay storage sheds for about 9 months of the year. I'm a pretty good scavenger and think I can get some used utility poles, tin, etc. fairly cheaply.</p><p></p><p>Regarding the idea of cutting back on the stocking rates, this seems to be a pretty time tested way to decrease the cost and hassle of winter feeding. One of my neighbors is an 84 year old man and keeps his place deliberately understocked, and has a number of paddocks, so that he rarely has to feed hay. Of course we are near Houston and generally don't get much cold weather, especially in recent years. We haven't even had a killing frost yet --- but our most prevalent grass (bermuda) has essentially shut down growth. Anyway, the old fellow learned long ago that it is better to let his cows harvest the grass directly rather than feeding hay, plus he can't really get around much anyway. He probably hasn't heard the terms "rotational grazing" or "management intensive grazing" but that's what he has actually been doing for years. And he doesn't have to kill significant amounts of time (as I do) going out to feed several times a week. Ahh, the wisdom of years!</p><p></p><p>The cost of putting up hay (whether you do it yourself or have it done, or simply buy it) is obviously very signficant. I'm constantly reading articles that advocate stockpiling of certain forages (particularly fescue) and letting the cattle eat it during the time when many others are feeding. Plus, deliberatly understocking can pay dividends if you get into unexpected drought situations.</p><p></p><p>I hunt deer & turkey in the western portion of the Texas hill country and I'm always amazed at how little effort the cattle men in that area apparently have to put in at this time of the year. There seems to be very little feeding of hay and instead the cattle eat stockpiled forages and seem to stay in amazingly good shape. Of course the forages in that part of Texas are much "stronger" than those we have along the Gulf Coast. And I've tried planting rye, ryegrass and winter wheat to reduce my need for hay feeding, but with the huge concentrations of geese that winter along the gulf coast it's a no-win situation. Without seeing the "before and after" you can't hardly believe what a flock of 5,000 or 10,000 wild geese can do to a pasture of ryegrass or wheat in a few days!</p><p></p><p>But I suspect that probably most of us should give more careful consideration to the forage stockpiling idea, and I intend to get more serious about looking into the pros and cons. The cattle business is like most other businesses, in that bigger is not necessarily better. We need to do whatever it takes to improve the bottom line profit rather than focusing too much on the gross revenue amount.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Anonymous, post: 10588"] Thanks to all of you for your comments. I put the pencil to the concrete pads idea and didn't much like the result --- concrete, etc. is pretty darn expensive, even more so than I had roughly guessed. Am going to look into perhaps putting up some simple pole barn type structures, but just with roofs and no sides. These could double as equipment or hay storage sheds for about 9 months of the year. I'm a pretty good scavenger and think I can get some used utility poles, tin, etc. fairly cheaply. Regarding the idea of cutting back on the stocking rates, this seems to be a pretty time tested way to decrease the cost and hassle of winter feeding. One of my neighbors is an 84 year old man and keeps his place deliberately understocked, and has a number of paddocks, so that he rarely has to feed hay. Of course we are near Houston and generally don't get much cold weather, especially in recent years. We haven't even had a killing frost yet --- but our most prevalent grass (bermuda) has essentially shut down growth. Anyway, the old fellow learned long ago that it is better to let his cows harvest the grass directly rather than feeding hay, plus he can't really get around much anyway. He probably hasn't heard the terms "rotational grazing" or "management intensive grazing" but that's what he has actually been doing for years. And he doesn't have to kill significant amounts of time (as I do) going out to feed several times a week. Ahh, the wisdom of years! The cost of putting up hay (whether you do it yourself or have it done, or simply buy it) is obviously very signficant. I'm constantly reading articles that advocate stockpiling of certain forages (particularly fescue) and letting the cattle eat it during the time when many others are feeding. Plus, deliberatly understocking can pay dividends if you get into unexpected drought situations. I hunt deer & turkey in the western portion of the Texas hill country and I'm always amazed at how little effort the cattle men in that area apparently have to put in at this time of the year. There seems to be very little feeding of hay and instead the cattle eat stockpiled forages and seem to stay in amazingly good shape. Of course the forages in that part of Texas are much "stronger" than those we have along the Gulf Coast. And I've tried planting rye, ryegrass and winter wheat to reduce my need for hay feeding, but with the huge concentrations of geese that winter along the gulf coast it's a no-win situation. Without seeing the "before and after" you can't hardly believe what a flock of 5,000 or 10,000 wild geese can do to a pasture of ryegrass or wheat in a few days! But I suspect that probably most of us should give more careful consideration to the forage stockpiling idea, and I intend to get more serious about looking into the pros and cons. The cattle business is like most other businesses, in that bigger is not necessarily better. We need to do whatever it takes to improve the bottom line profit rather than focusing too much on the gross revenue amount. [/QUOTE]
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