cow ration

[BryanM]

Right now I am feeding hay and small amount of pasture (what grass I have left). I am wondering if there is a economical substitute for hay. I mean some kind of ration I can use to cut down on the hay. this question is for my future plans might even include a mixer grinder or tmr mixer. Just looking for options at this point, maybe a ration that has worked well for someone else.
I also understand rations might change as different stages of preg and lactation.

How do you feed your cows as not every cow is in the same stage of pregancy?

 

[MtnCows93]

ive heard of people baling corn stalks and pouring liquid feed on them for cows

 

[bmoore87]

Cornstalks, corn silage, ryelage, and sorghum silage all get used around here to replace hay. Your rations depend on dry matter of ingredients but a common one around here is 30 lbs corn silage, 10 hay/corn stalks and some gluten or protein based on quality of hay and cornstalks.

 

[Dave]

Search out bi-products which might be available in your area. One that I know of people utilizing include, out of date baked goods, brewers grains, waste from vegetable processors..... the list could go on. I fed sweet corn husk and cobs from a corn cannery. It was cheap and cows did well on it.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I am fortunate to have good hay (or good enough), but the Universities (Cornell) recommends supplementing with whole shell corn to stretch your hay supply.

 

[Stocker Steve]

1) Test your hay
2) ID your cow size, condition, gestation point, and goal (I usually just want to maintain wt.)
3) You or your nutritionist run an excel ration balancing program (my feed mill does this for "free")
4) Buy supplement mix (a lb. of DDG goes a long way towards balancing, several pounds of corn is also common for extending)
5) Feed it (I may throw a 5 gallon pail of DDG mix into each hay ring every other day because my hay got rained on more than Jeanne')

 

[AdamsCreek]

https://youtu.be/rqh2EPAaPQM

 

[Lucky_P]

There are free/online ration calculators... UofMN has one, we've used it, and CowCulator(recommended by UofKY nutritionist) at one time or another. Both have extensive lists of feedstuffs and their (expected) analyses - and you can add your own custom feedstuffs/mixes; also, they allow you to input cow breed, stage of pregnancy/lactation, BCS, etc.
You need your hay tested so that you know what you're starting with... it's sometimes very surprising how bad (and, occasionally good) hay may be - but if you don't test, you don't have a clue...

We feed hay and DDG... have a fuel ethanol plant within 15 miles, haul 3-3.5 tons home every couple of weeks, feed with buckets poured into feedbunks made from 55gal plastic drums...varying amounts, depending upon hay analysis (the crap we have this year is sorry as lleh) and stage of lactation/pregnancy.