drought tips

[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??

It is not a RUMINANT animal by-product.

Thanks - that makes sense now.

 

[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.

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.

Yes. People feed tubs and liquid licks too. Have heard of them "juicing" hay as well. But if they are going to import trash, let folks know it is trash. People have bought semi loads sight unseen only to find out later. It was pure misrepresentation.

 

[TexasBred]

Yes. People feed tubs and liquid licks too. Have heard of them "juicing" hay as well. But if they are going to import trash, let folks know it is trash. People have bought semi loads sight unseen only to find out later. It was pure misrepresentation.

During the last drought there were a lot of folks farther south being bent over the saddletanks of those 18 wheelers loaded with junk hay....Heard more than one farmer bragging about how much he wasn't getting for stalks.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Yes. And KNERSIE is right about licks. You could make it work.

I mentioned the 4 year old hay being better than the imported. Put out the licks and feed what you got. You're better off.

 

[agmantoo]

When the drought hit here in 2007-2008 I had no real understanding how a severe drought would impact my operation. I had weathered drought in 2003 that was considered severe but the 2007-2008 drought brought new meaning. I have very little hay on hand, only enough to last 16 days since I rotationally feed from the stockpiled or growing fescue year round. My pastures held up for several months longer than what the conventional producers were experiencing. As the drought was not breaking I started feeding cotton gin waste and limited grazing. Good fat cows held onto body condition or dropped slightly but heifers with calves lost weight steadily. If faced again with an extended drought what I learned from this experience is that I will sell feeder calves at lower weights, cull unproven heifers, cull the oldest cows. If I cannot keep a cow in body condition score of 4.5+ I will sell her because I will still want her to bred back. Protein cake is not sold in my area but I will make some provisions to obtain a shipment next time. I did manage to purchase some good peanut hay to supplement the gin trash and will spend the money to keep the retained cattle in acceptable condition. I learned that I needed cattle in good condition coming out of the drought to get back into production ASAP. As stated above, the demand for replacement animals that were sold off by others was at peak once rain came. Additionally a person needs to plan on how they are going to restore their pastures as they will suffer for as much as 2+ years following the drought stress. Some areas I am still reseeding here in 2011.

 

[ANAZAZI]

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

We do that!

 

[houstoncutter]

Getting some good feedback, let me throw in a couple more . If you live close to a port, many times you can buy or be given sweepings... Yea I know it has dirt in it, but how many times have u seen an old cow lick the last smidgen of feed up off the ground. I am going to mention this HayMaster system ...it did have some draw backs but I did manage to get 400 bales of really rank hay ate because of it...Ok keep em coming

 

[Caustic Burno]

Getting some good feedback, let me throw in a couple more . If you live close to a port, many times you can buy or be given sweepings... Yea I know it has dirt in it, but how many times have u seen an old cow lick the last smidgen of feed up off the ground. I am going to mention this HayMaster system ...it did have some draw backs but I did manage to get 400 bales of really rank hay ate because of it...Ok keep em coming

Here I can turn them into the woods, yaupon makes fine grazing. Molasses on poor hay a couple of gallons applied right and the poor dumb things will eat the whole bale, acting like it is a totsie pop.They just keep trying to get to the surprise in the center. You can get molasses here for a dollar a gallon. I know one fellow goes to the day old bakery and gets what they throw out.

 

[TexasBred]

I know several producers that fed ground cotton burrs during the last drought. Pretty nasty and dusty stuff but cattle love the things. You'll have some cotton as well as whole cottonseed left in them which will raise the protein up to around 8% which is as good as a lot of hay that folks put up. One man had a mixer wagon and mixed cracked corn and cottonseed meal in with the burrs and made a really nice mix. Burrs use to be cheap but have become a real commodity now so have no idea what the cost would be but probably at least $100 a ton delivered if not more.

 

[bigbull338]

the best thing to have is enough hay meadows to get enough hay in 1 cutting.an we have 150acs we can bale for hay.plus we have some carry over hay from last year.i know we will have 1 call from a guy wanting to buy hay this year.will just have to see how much hay we get.

 

[farmwriter]

Getting pretty dang dry on our place, but so far, I can still drive a short distance and see grass that's knee-high, so at least there should be good hay from this area before long.
Our grass isn't dead yet and the cow pies are loose and green, but the cows are staying way out ahead of the pasture; no time for it to grow before they're clipping it down. I noticed yesterday a brown, crisp rectangle in the yard over the septic tank lid. Praying for rain regularly. Storms are brewing all around us, but I kid you not, I can watch the storm fronts part on the radar and sweep to the north and south of us. Just makes my stomach churn.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Getting pretty dang dry on our place, but so far, I can still drive a short distance and see grass that's knee-high, so at least there should be good hay from this area before long.
Our grass isn't dead yet and the cow pies are loose and green, but the cows are staying way out ahead of the pasture; no time for it to grow before they're clipping it down. I noticed yesterday a brown, crisp rectangle in the yard over the septic tank lid. Praying for rain regularly. Storms are brewing all around us, but I kid you not, I can watch the storm fronts part on the radar and sweep to the north and south of us. Just makes my stomach churn.

hard to believe your in ALA, and dry,,,, i tell you what will make you stomach churn,, is watching three tornados on the ground on radar sweeping right past you,, one in Hanceville cut 1/4 mile wide path got more in MS heading this way

 

[farmwriter]

For the month of April, our avg high is about 10 degrees over the historical avg and our avg low is about 20 degrees below the historical avg.
Historical avg rainfall for April is over 4". We got 2", but all of it fell in one night on April 4. Not even a light shower since. Add to that the wind from the storms that dropped rain everywhere else and our poor, sandy soil, and it means the leaves and blades of grass are pretty well zapped of any moisture. :frowns:

 

[djinwa]

People complain about not enough demand for beef, and then talk about feeding them chicken litter.

How many moms want to feed beef made from chicken excrement.

Who's in charge of marketing?

 

[backhoeboogie]

People complain about not enough demand for beef, and then talk about feeding them chicken litter.

How many moms want to feed beef made from chicken excrement.

Who's in charge of marketing?

For most of us, if it came to that, we'd get out.

Oprah could have a field day with that one.

 

[Brute 23]

The ability to make it thru a drought starts two years before the drought with hay and low stocking rates........ and being debt free always helps.

 

[farmwriter]

The ability to make it thru a drought starts two years before the drought with hay and low stocking rates........ and being debt free always helps.

A frequently overlooked and underrated idea.

 

[1982vett]

The ability to make it thru a drought starts two years before the drought with hay and low stocking rates........ and being debt free always helps.

Even two years prep before the onset of a drought doesn't help much 5 years into one...But that is the ticket for the dry spells between rains.

 

[TexasBred]

The ability to make it thru a drought starts two years before the drought with hay and low stocking rates........ and being debt free always helps.

Works great if you can see into the future.

 

[1982vett]

Works great if you can see into the future.

Must be easy to see into the future...weather forcasters make a living doing it..... :lol: