I have posted in other threads about my cows not eating last summer's hay very well. Our cows run in the hay fields during the winter, and are removed about two months before we cut the hay. Could the cow manure in the fields get in the hay enough that they don't like it? Does anyone else here run cows in your hay fields? If so, how do you feel about the manure in hay issue, and how do you handle it?
Cow manure in hay fields
- Thread starter herofan
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herofan":3ahgtqyp said:
We let them graze the hay fields and they eat our hay just fine.
They may just not be that hungry. Then again there could be other factors. One of my neighbors says cattle don't like orchardgrass hay very well if it gets rained on before its baled. Or if its over mature when baled....it won't be as palatable. If you think you are getting manure in your hay, try cutting a little higher...4 or 5 inches. A lot of these disc mowers can scalp the ground if you let them. Or just go out and run a drag over your hayfield when you take the cattle off of it.herofan":u3039vbh said:
I sometimes cut pasture that has been grazed. I have cut while they are grazing. It was probably a little mature, but I cut it anyway. I wouldn't sweat it that your cows have strange eating habits this time of year. Mine take wild notions, and go browse more on somedays than others. I'd make sure I had some high mag out though if yours are picking pasture. That'll be what gets one, not the hay.
fitz
Well-known member
herofan":3ggci750 said:
I don't pasture what I cut for hay. I have in the past at certain times of the year. If it were possible any may be picked up in a baling process and dried like the rest of the bale they'll work around it. Especially at -15 and the wind blowing.
Cows can exhibit strange eating practices at times. I'd wager yours are eating what they need. If they hold condition you have no problems.
fitz
Craig Miller
Well-known member
Our hayfields are not fenced off so yea they graze it.
We pasture all of our hay fields in the fall. They usually get pulled off of them by end of the year. Sometimes I run a chain harrow over it, most of the time I don't. Mine are being picky on hay this year, some of it took a rain, some of the worst hay I put up in a while.
fitz
Well-known member
tom4018":1l8kqsfm said:
That was the time frame I used to pasture fields cut for hay. Cleaned out a barn one winter and spread it on a small field. Came back the next summer and rolled it. There was some traces in the hay. That's what I was referring to when I said they would work around it. I pasture everything and cut hay offsite now.
fitz
skyhightree1
Well-known member
I will let them in hay fields and they eat the hay just fine if the only other thing they have to eat is a snow ball sandwich they will gladly eat the hay if nothing else is available.
skyhightree1
Well-known member
you got that right.
millstreaminn
Well-known member
I spread manure on a few of my hayfields after first cutting this past year. I baled and wrapped the 2nd cut hay and kept track of which bales were from fields with and without manure. Cows didn't care weather the hay was from manured fields or not.
