Do you all feed?

[4hfarms]

I rotate my Longhorns and try to feed just grass. On my second pass since summer grass has stopped growing, can already see the difference in cow condition. Been close to running out, with the uncooperative weather this may be the end. I Just started transfering my cows to my last good grass field. They will be there the day after tomorrow for about 10 days depending on how fast they eat . Day in each spot on the way, yes, fresh grass each day. So now I have a couple months of slow to no growth. I have a few bails ready for Jan/Feb for the winter ice storms we usually have before spring. So my question...... does most everyone feed? If so, what do you feed over the winter. What about other grazers?

 

[MurraysMutts]

Idk what part of the country your in, but round here we usually start haying after the first freeze. Some folks run em on dry grass w protein supplements for a while. Some folks put em on wheat soon as they can, if its ready.

 

[4hfarms]

Mine are also on 24% mineral tub as they graze. We are located just west of the TN river. We had our first freeze a couple weeks ago, round Halloween. Been average of about 40deg overnight and 60 during the day since. Fed them a bail for a few days when it froze the grass and started them back on rotation after a few days. Just curious what y'all do to supplement forwinter grazing for food.

 

[Silver]

Shoot, there's only two seasons here. Roll the hay up and roll the hay out. Some years it seems like they overlap.

 

[1982vett]

Well it's almost Thanksgiving...week or so ago the cows congregated around a roll of hay that's been out since I had quarantined a bull I bought in July. Apparently we had a good frost about that time also so I put a roll of 7% hay out and opened up 20 acres that hasn't been grazed since June. With only an inch of rain since September, it's not all that great of grazing either so today I put a roll of 10% hay out. They all came up (from grazing) to check it out. Some stood around looking at it. Others munched around on it. Of course you had the head butting cows take their turn too. All in all, most went back to grazing after a while.

as you said, uncooperative weather is the deal around here this year. Still have 30 acres that hasn't been touched since June and July. Good amount of dry forage. Problem is I have nothing green so I will be feeding hay from now till it greens up again.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Once my water source freezes the cows come home and winter on corn stalks. I supplement with hay and / or silage 7 mos out of the year.

 

[4hfarms]

My cows don't seem to give a dam about standing hay either. Won't touch it until its cut. Had a few more days worth of food in the field but they got spoiled over the summer with all the fresh. The grass I'm feeding now is what they didnt want last time with about 40 days rest.

 

[MurraysMutts]

20% cubes and hay. Feeding leftover hay from last year now.

 

[Dave]

Most of the cows are down out of the hills but not all of them yet. The cows that are down are on regrowth in the hay meadows. I haven't noticed anyone feeding hay yet but it will start pretty soon now. Once it starts it will be hay everyday until mid to late April. That is all they will get, hay.

 

[Ky hills]

Feeding 4-5 lbs per head of a mix of shelled corn, soy hulls and corn gluten, along with starting to feed some last years hay. Haven't gone to everyday hay feeding yet, though will before long.

 

[sstterry]

Mine are also on 24% mineral tub as they graze. We are located just west of the TN river.

Which section of the Tennessee river? East TN, West TN, AL, MS or KY?

 

[4hfarms]

We are in Camden, TN. I only run a few cows around the property. "Lawn mooers".....still new to cows.... only been a a bit over a year so far. Didnt even buy my farm until I retired a few years ago. They were in the same pasture all year. Last winter I spent too much (cuz I'm cheap) on hay, so I have started the rotational grazing since this past spring. Had cleared some land when we purchased the farm and then purchased the farm next door last year. We now have multiple fields I have been fencing over the summer. Hope by the end of next summer we will have enough grass pasture to get them fed through next winter.

 

[shaz]

I feed calves at weaning and give the mama cows enough feed to keep them coming to the barn. Will start hay feeding Jan 1st and stop around April 15 depending on growing conditions.

 

[Rafter S]

My cows don't seem to give a dam about standing hay either. Won't touch it until its cut. Had a few more days worth of food in the field but they got spoiled over the summer with all the fresh. The grass I'm feeding now is what they didnt want last time with about 40 days rest.

I knew a man years ago who said he knew someone that had a good bit of standing frost-killed grass his cows didn't seem to want to eat. He got a spray rig, filled it up with water, and added a little syrup and mixed it up. He'd spray a swath, the cows would eat that part, then he'd spray another one.

 

[Lucky_P]

If you're fixin' to be out of grass in 10 days... you'd better be making some arrangements to feed. There will be little to no pasture re-growth from now until well up into March. Longhorns or not, they won't make it through the winter on good wishes.
We did management-intensive grazing for 25 years. But once the grass was gone - usually in late Oct to early November, we were on the hook to feed daily for the next 5 months or so.
Starting in 2007, we went to limit-feeding for the winter - shooting for 25#/hd/day hay + DDG (amount varied, depending upon hay analysis and stage of pregnancy/lactation of the cows - we had both spring and fall-calving groups). It ain't cheap.

Not all hay is created equal, and I've seen far too many cases of cows essentially starving to death with a rumen full of low-quality hay that did not provide enough nutrition for survival.
I know tubs are easy, but they're a d@mned expensive way to provide a little bit of protein. Way more bang for your buck with DDG, CGF, soyhull pellets, etc.
You've gotta get enough dry matter, energy, and protein into them to get 'em through a winter in decent shape.

 

[Dave]

We don't feed anything but hay. But there is a lot of alfalfa raise around here. We limit feed about 25 pounds per cow. But about every second or third day they get a little less grass hay and get fed 5-10 pounds of alfalfa. I can buy decent alfalfa for $140 a ton. I can't buy 2 tubs for that money.

 

[4hfarms]

I only have a few cows. I do have 6 pastures I rotate through. The 10 days was just saying that the weather is about dip and we have a few days of freeze coming. Ill have another pasture to put them in at that time and I do have a few bails on standby. I was just curious what other people do when weather ....... happens.
We have pretty mild winters here so our weather doesn't usually show up until late Jan or our usual Feb ice storms.
I couldn't imagine having a herd the size of some of y'all. I have a small place and grow them for personal food.
I learn from the best with my silly inquiries.,

 

[TCRanch]

Started putting out bales (primarily brome) in Oct this year but they still graze a little. I always have 30% protein tubs available and cube 20% year 'round (sporadically in the summer), mainly because we haven't been able to burn for years and the quality of our pastures has declined.

 

[okiek]

November 1 I start feeding 1lb phpd of 34% protein plus cubes. The last month before calves are born I'll switch to 2 1/2 lb 20% cake phpd. Cows will have nothing but dry grass till 12-1 or later if it lasts, then they'll get quality hay (Coastal or Midland 99 Bermuda). After calving the 20% cubes will increase.

The BCS on my cows stays good at that and I have excellent re-breed rate.

 

[4hfarms]

So it has dropped to freezing during the nights and still 30-50deg while the sun is up. Still rotating on pasture....

The tubs are $45 at the co-op. Just set out my 4th for the year. Being new to the area, relocated from the Florida beach, I have yet to aquire connections to quality protein. Everyone is in the "good ole boy" club around here, I'm the outsider no one like to help. I do pretty much take care of a couple of the older neighbors AND thier properties, homes, cars etc, but get nowhere when I need help. The neighbors I do help, need it due to age or disabilities. Never thought twice about helping any of them, always willing. The younger generation doesnt understand the property they inherit from generations of hard work, didn't get that way by doing it alone.