drought tips

[houstoncutter]

Well its official all of Texas is in a drought. So I thought we might help each other out with ideas on how to cope with this drought. I am sure some of our S.E.USA members will be a wealth of information..I'll throw a few out and yall take it from there....be right back gotta take one of them pain pills...
1. Cull and cull some more.
2. Try to find last years hay, even if its not in your area.
3. Talk to truckers to see if some are back hauling empty....good way to get your hands on some good hay at a reasonable price.

 

[kenny thomas]

I really feel bad for all of the ranchers and crop farmers when it somes to drought. It is very rare in my part of the world but we did have one in 2007. Government finally came out with a little (very little) help almost a year after it was over.
Next time I am just going to sell out and sell what little hay I might have on hand. I worked all year, still had to buy some hay and truck it in. Could have sold the cows and the 350 rolls of hay I had for a good profit and had nothing to worry about. I will not go through another one worrying about what to do.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have a years worth of hay left, people calling everyday wanting to buy. Hate to tell them no but it is survival of the fitest. I have always operated on the principle there is no such thing as having to much hay.

 

[Kingfisher]

Well its official all of Texas is in a drought. So I thought we might help each other out with ideas on how to cope with this drought. I am sure some of our S.E.USA members will be a wealth of information..I'll throw a few out and yall take it from there....be right back gotta take one of them pain pills...
1. Cull and cull some more.
2. Try to find last years hay, even if its not in your area.
3. Talk to truckers to see if some are back hauling empty....good way to get your hands on some good hay at a reasonable price.

We commented on some bales that have been layed up for over a year now in a field. Why would someone do that?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Importing hay broke everyone from sucking eggs last time. Everything that came in on the semi's was worse than junk. Can't believe anyone would even sell such. 4 year old hay from around here had more nutrition.

Sell out your cows and you're gonna be stuck buying short eared cows as replacements when you buy back. Nothing suited for this climate. Or else pay an arm and a leg for good cows.

CB has the right approach. Stock pile good hay. Keep with your marketing plan that way. This year everyone will be wanting to buy your hay. Next year they'll be wanting your cows. You're on top of the market both ways.

 

[dimestorecowboy]

I try to keep a years worth of hay in the barn . When we have a good hay season I move the old out and stack the new in the barn . Feed the out side hay first . If I would have known how bad it was going to be I wouldn't have sold any hay last year .

 

[Caustic Burno]

I try to keep a years worth of hay in the barn . When we have a good hay season I move the old out and stack the new in the barn . Feed the out side hay first . If I would have known how bad it was going to be I wouldn't have sold any hay last year .

Use the same approach, am rethinking I need to hold at least two years worth back. I actually have more than a years worth when I sold down the cows earlier this year. That is I don't have to start feeding it this summer.

 

[houstoncutter]

Anybody know anything about feeding chicken litter?

 

[upfrombottom]

Anybody know anything about feeding chicken litter?

To what? A chicken won't eat eat and they'll eat anything. Reminds me of the story about the guy that fed his dogs boiled okra. Someone said their dogs wouldn't eat it, and his reply was that his didn't either for a week.

 

[KNERSIE]

Importing hay broke everyone from sucking eggs last time. Everything that came in on the semi's was worse than junk. Can't believe anyone would even sell such. 4 year old hay from around here had more nutrition.

Sell out your cows and you're gonna be stuck buying short eared cows as replacements when you buy back. Nothing suited for this climate. Or else pay an arm and a leg for good cows.

CB has the right approach. Stock pile good hay. Keep with your marketing plan that way. This year everyone will be wanting to buy your hay. Next year they'll be wanting your cows. You're on top of the market both ways.

BHB, I always feel that nutrition can be added in the form of licks if needed, but unless you have some form of roughage as a gut filler you're doomed. I'd much rather try and get some straw or the cheapest form of roughage available and feed a lick to try and maintain just enough condition to breed back.

 

[novatech]

Importing hay broke everyone from sucking eggs last time. Everything that came in on the semi's was worse than junk. Can't believe anyone would even sell such. 4 year old hay from around here had more nutrition.

Sell out your cows and you're gonna be stuck buying short eared cows as replacements when you buy back. Nothing suited for this climate. Or else pay an arm and a leg for good cows.

CB has the right approach. Stock pile good hay. Keep with your marketing plan that way. This year everyone will be wanting to buy your hay. Next year they'll be wanting your cows. You're on top of the market both ways.

BHB, I always feel that nutrition can be added in the form of licks if needed, but unless you have some form of roughage as a gut filler you're doomed. I'd much rather try and get some straw or the cheapest form of roughage available and feed a lick to try and maintain just enough condition to breed back.

This situation is not going away any time soon. I would sell off all but the best of the best. Then do as Knersie says. Fence off a sacrificial area to feed in. If you open up the entire pasture then the cattle will kill off what little life the grass still has.

 

[dimestorecowboy]

Anybody know anything about feeding chicken litter?

My grand dad used to mix layer litter with rice bran .. once the cows started eating it he would just put it out with out the bran . Got to make sure it stays dry .high in nitrogen/protein .

 

[KNERSIE]

Anybody know anything about feeding chicken litter?

My grand dad used to mix layer litter with rice bran .. once the cows started eating it he would just put it out with out the bran . Got to make sure it stays dry .high in nitrogen/protein .

... and make darn sure your botulism vacs are up to date!

Is chicken litter still legal as animal feed in the USA? It hasn't been for a long time here.

 

[TexasBred]

Anybody know anything about feeding chicken litter?

My grand dad used to mix layer litter with rice bran .. once the cows started eating it he would just put it out with out the bran . Got to make sure it stays dry .high in nitrogen/protein .

... and make darn sure your botulism vacs are up to date!

Is chicken litter still legal as animal feed in the USA? It hasn't been for a long time here.

K...it's still legal but I personally don't know of anyone feeding it. Posted a while back that there was a company in NE Texas that use to make a 16% mix of chicken litter, corn and dried bakery products. It was a hot item back in the 90's but don't know if the company is still in operation or not. Main thing about it is that it does not replace grazing and/or hay unless you want to consider wood shavings as "high quality digestible fiber".

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Interesting - we have the opposite problem (too much rain) - but one of your suggestions is the same for us. We have to keep the cattle locked up in sacrifice areas, otherwise we wouldn't have ANY fields to go out to.

 

[dimestorecowboy]

I haven't seen anyone feed it in over 30 years . I figured it was outlawed . Surprised it isn't since its animal by product. I guess he used it like people use the protein tubs now .just to give them a boost.

 

[Animal Track Farm]

I use to feed chicken litter. Would mix it with sweet feed then slowly reduce the sweet feed. Got to be to much trouble to keep dry etc.. plus it got to be wanted to much for fertilizer. It is hard to get now to put on the pastures due to the crop farmers in South Georgia wanting it since commercial fertilizer is so high (and I live in chicken country).

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I haven't seen anyone feed it in over 30 years . I figured it was outlawed . Surprised it isn't since its animal by product. I guess he used it like people use the protein tubs now .just to give them a boost.

I don't understand WHY or IF it is LEGAL??

 

[TexasBred]

I haven't seen anyone feed it in over 30 years . I figured it was outlawed . Surprised it isn't since its animal by product. I guess he used it like people use the protein tubs now .just to give them a boost.

I don't understand WHY or IF it is LEGAL??

It is not a RUMINANT animal by-product.

 

[mermill2]

my great granddad and grandad would cut down cull trees and snags.Turn the stock into them,let em clean up leaves and brush.