Cows need supplemental feeding!

[George Monk]

We supplement our cow herd with 2 pounds of grain/hd/day for the entire lifetime of the cow. There are some who say they never feed and others that say additional energy is good. I have some cows that are having there 11 calf with us and look in great condition. Out of the original 13 cows that I bought in 96 we still have 8 left. Only one was shipped due to "condition" and that was because she had an internal hernia. the others were sold because they threw red white face calves ( nothing wrong with red white face that is another post! ) and some lack of production concerns. I am not saying I am right (mostly inexperienced) but I would like to here a discussion about this and the longevity of the brood cow.

 

[dun]

We only supplement during extreme cold windy wet weather, dyring drought or very poor hay and the ca;ves get grain for 45 days at weaning. During the breeding season we feed maybe 1/4 pound per head but that's to get them up in the catch pen to separate out whoever needs breeding. If nobody needs breeding, no grain.
That said, we've selected for these kinds of genetics and cull on those that can;t do the job and stay in a minimum of a 5.5 BCS for heifers feeding a calf to 6 for older cows feeding a calf. They all end up about a 6.5 by calving time.
Works for us and has a good many years.

dun

 

[rgv]

Heck Dun -

Only in cold windy weather, drying drought conditions in Missouri.

Didn't know you meant 268 days a year.

RGV

 

[dun]

Heck Dun -

Only in cold windy weather, drying drought conditions in Missouri.

Didn't know you meant 268 days a year.

RGV

This wasn't even a real winter, of course this isn't a real spring either. Until we went to 3 yr old prairie hay we didn;t supplement at all. We did use mix 30 when we started in the ahy. When they're on hay they eat it but it's still cheaper then grain, easier too. Now that the grass is popping up a little, they hardly touch the stuff.
We did give tyhe heifers about 1/4 pound a day of grain the last month before they calved so that in theory they would calve during the daylight. The aearliest was 6 am the latest was 6 pm so I guess it worked. They're out with the cows now and not getting any grain.
I should hav ementioned in the earlier post that our cows are on average around 7 years old, but that includes 1 at 15, 1 at 11 and 4 at 2. But when you have small numbers of cows, the average gets skewed pretty badly.

dun

 

[rgv]

Just giving you a hard time.

You understand Missouri weather.

RGV

 

[lakading]

We supplement our cow herd with 2 pounds of grain/hd/day for the entire lifetime of the cow. There are some who say they never feed and others that say additional energy is good. I have some cows that are having there 11 calf with us and look in great condition. Out of the original 13 cows that I bought in 96 we still have 8 left. Only one was shipped due to "condition" and that was because she had an internal hernia. the others were sold because they threw red white face calves ( nothing wrong with red white face that is another post! ) and some lack of production concerns. I am not saying I am right (mostly inexperienced) but I would like to here a discussion about this and the longevity of the brood cow.

Do you figure your time/labor into the equation when figuring the total costs of supplementing?

 

[dun]

Just giving you a hard time.

You understand Missouri weather.

RGV

I know. But no, I don;t understand MO weather. The only thing normal is that it's never normal

dun

 

[aplusmnt]

In past we fed year round, but after taking advice on here, and from our Extension agent. All they get is good hay, mineral and water. Unless extreme cold like Dun mentioned, but there has not been any of that the last two winters around here.

Do have a Full blood Angus first calf heifer that we are feeding a little grain now because she really got pulled down once she started milking. Her mother is an extremely easy keeper and the calf is growing like a weed. Plus we are feeding her some hay that I have no idea of the protein content. Hopefully next calf she will not drop so bad or will have to cull her. I only want easy keepers around here.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

My retained heifers will get grain supplementation with the backgrounders (max 10 lbs per day), but once they've matured, they get no more grain for the rest of their lives, nor do any of my cattle. Just lots of water, free choice hay and free choice mineral.

Before winter hits, I feed some 2nd cut alfalfa and get them rolling fat heading into the snows. Come January and -40, they mostly hibernate on the straw pile and draw on reserves. By the time they're ready to calve, they're in pretty good shape (usually over-fat yet, but as I mentioned in another thread, this is a good thing. The number of calving problems due to overfat livestock is FAR overstated).

As Dun said though, my cows have been specifically selected for this kind of management. MOst of my stock right now is pretty young, but my animals generally give me at least 10 calves, and I've had a few older cows around here that gave 17 or 18.

Rod

 

[Victoria]

We don't feed grain to any of our mature cows. Depending on hay quality, weather, size etc. we sometimes grain our heifers, but only limited amounts. We don't have problems with heifers not getting pregnant the first time.
Our cattle eat grass in the summer, fall they go on the hay field until it snows and they decide they want to be fed. Then they get good quality hay - we feed to keep the lowest cow in the herd in top shape - everyone gets their fill and we don't have fights.
We give a selenium block year round and they get protein tubs a couple of months before calving.
We bed them in the winter to keep the old joints warm as we have a lot of old cows.
We have 14 cows over 10 years old. 2 of those are 16, 2 are 15. We have many more over the age of six.

 

[plbcattle]

I think there is several answers to this question. The average commercial man that sells his calf at weaning and tries to keep his sost down as much as possible. The other side to this coin is registered breeders who sell replacment females and bulls. There is no way, don't be led to believe otherwise, that grass fed cattle can raise huge weaning weights or yearling weights without a little help. So many on here post that they give their cows nothing, yet complain or show animals on here to be judged that look like crap. If seedstock breeders could get by without it They would. There are a ton of benifits to feeding cattle. They stay in better shape, rebreed sooner, producing more milk, raise a bigger calf, as well as have better disease fighting immune systems. If you want your cattle to ratio well against other contemporary groups of like cattle, you will need to help them a little.

 

[Victoria]

I think there is several answers to this question. The average commercial man that sells his calf at weaning and tries to keep his sost down as much as possible. The other side to this coin is registered breeders who sell replacment females and bulls. There is no way, don't be led to believe otherwise, that grass fed cattle can raise huge weaning weights or yearling weights without a little help. So many on here post that they give their cows nothing, yet complain or show animals on here to be judged that look like crap. If seedstock breeders could get by without it They would. There are a ton of benifits to feeding cattle. They stay in better shape, rebreed sooner, producing more milk, raise a bigger calf, as well as have better disease fighting immune systems. If you want your cattle to ratio well against other contemporary groups of like cattle, you will need to help them a little.

I think the other part to that is what kind of grass you have. Not all grass is equal, some is far higher in nutritional value. People need to do what is best for them and their herd. Our cattle don't need grain. We do have high weaning weights and healthy cattle.

I should have mentioned in the other post though that our two purebred bull calves were grained after weaning.

 

[Stepper]

pblcattle,

How much fed supplement and what % protein of supplement do you reccomend feeding heifer's/cow's ?

 

[Rod]

The most profitable oldtimer cattleman told me there were three things I should be concerned about when i started out, they were nutrition, nutrition and nutrition. I live by his words now. After the first year i got gun shy because of the extra expenses, so it costed me more by not doing it the secound year. You can bet now mine get all they need and then some now!

 

[aplusmnt]

The most profitable oldtimer cattleman told me there were three things I should be concerned about when i started out, they were nutrition, nutrition and nutrition. I live by his words now. After the first year i got gun shy because of the extra expenses, so it costed me more by not doing it the secound year. You can bet now mine get all they need and then some now!

Rod.....check I sent you a PM if you get the chance!

 

[warpaint]

We supplement with a little grain in the winter, and the rest of the year we use grain to call them up.

Our show stock stays on grain thru the season.

 

[LangCattleCompany]

I wonder how did cattle survive without us around to feed them grain. And turn them into cannibals in the process.

 

[George Monk]

lackading
[
Do you figure your time/labor into the equation when figuring the total costs of supplementing?[/quote]

Absolutely not. my time is of no value. I already work a 50+ workweek and I am unwilling to get another job. Besides finding an employer who would let you have the flexible hours that you would need to do this is impossible unless it would be minimum wage flippen burgers. figuring labor is an old accountant trick that really doesn't apply to this. Now I could agree that you do need to do enterprise analysis on every farm to see which facet earns the most attention.
Also I need to mention that I am one lucky dude and have a healthy 85 yr old dad who feeds and check cows every morning :lol:

ps how do you use this quote thing????

 

[George Monk]

other than the time it takes to do this (which would limit many producers because of numbers and travel) the cost seems very low. 2lb/day is $20-25/yr. if that contributes to having several more calves than isn't it worth it? or will some cows just have more calves? how much do you think condition drives the "extra" calves you get from a cow?

 

[Victoria]

other than the time it takes to do this (which would limit many producers because of numbers and travel) the cost seems very low. 2lb/day is $20-25/yr. if that contributes to having several more calves than isn't it worth it? or will some cows just have more calves? how much do you think condition drives the "extra" calves you get from a cow?

Proper nutrition (condition) will contribute to more calves, it is one important factor. Heredity also plays a roll as does environment and breed. Proper nutrition does not always mean feeding oats though. Cost and/or work is not a factor for us not feeding oats to our cattle - they simply do not need them. Their nutritional requirements are met without them, other people will have cattle that do need oats. Over feeding oats, making animals too fat, even at the heifer stage will decrease longevity and milking ability.
I agree with you, keeping your cattle in top condition is a must to get the most out of them. However, the way to do that is going to differ for everyone. That's why it is important for people to test their own fields and feed. Find out what they need and not just go by what someone says in a different state or country.