Extra hay

[DCA farm]

How much extra hay do y’all normally buy or put up as a comfort cushion.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have never had an extra roll of hay or a dollar, IMO you can’t put up enough.
I had two years worth up in the 2011 drought and still ended up selling 70% of the cows. Don’t last long if you have to feed it year around.
We are today from the start of the next drought.

 

[1982vett]

Roughly have an extra years worth of hay on hand. A long drought can change that number significantly.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have been running half a winters worth. Thinking about wrapping some long term hay. How long will good bale wrap last ?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

How long will good bale wrap last ?

UP here between the heavy snow, ice, birds, squirrels, coyotes, etc by year 2 the plastic wrap is usually so beat up that its worthless.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Sounds like a hay shed is needed for the strategic reserve.

 

[1982vett]

Sounds like a hay shed is needed for the strategic reserve.

Absolutely :!:

 

[TN Cattle Man]

It will vary depending on Mother Nature... but ideally I like to go into hay season with approximately 1/3 of what we would normally feed.

 

[DCA farm]

I’m setting 5 rolls per head right now
Last year I fed roughly 3 rolls per head but i will be planting twice as much ryegrass

 

[Caustic Burno]

I’m setting 5 rolls per head right now
Last year I fed roughly 3 rolls per head but i will be planting twice as much ryegrass

That’s what I went through last winter 5 rolls per head normal is 4.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Barn holds about 13 ton of 3 wire bales if some is stacked in the "attic". we only feed a few pets, horses when in, and when holding for working. Could still use more, most years but don't really have anyplace to put it without a lot of hassle.

 

[Bigfoot]

I’ve ran out the last couple of years. Bought crap hay at auction for twice what it’s worth. Trying hard to get a year ahead. Won’t make it this year. Going this week to look at some hay ground for next year. It’s a little further from the house, than I like to get, but I’m interested either way.

 

[Foz682]

Feed 15 rounds bales per head/yr
I like to have 2 bales per head left over when turned out to pasture, only had 1 bale/ head left over this year, beats buying though.

 

[DCA farm]

Feed 15 rounds bales per head/yr
I like to have 2 bales per head left over when turned out to pasture, only had 1 bale/ head left over this year, beats buying though.

Where I’m the heck do you live. That’s a lot of hay per head. 15 rolls will feed 3 big cows through with winter around here

 

[Foz682]

Feed 15 rounds bales per head/yr
I like to have 2 bales per head left over when turned out to pasture, only had 1 bale/ head left over this year, beats buying though.

Where I’m the heck do you live. That’s a lot of hay per head. 15 rolls will feed 3 big cows through with winter around here

That's 4x4 bales fed to September calvers, typically feeding Oct 1 to June 1.

 

[DCA farm]

Feed 15 rounds bales per head/yr
I like to have 2 bales per head left over when turned out to pasture, only had 1 bale/ head left over this year, beats buying though.

Where I’m the heck do you live. That’s a lot of hay per head. 15 rolls will feed 3 big cows through with winter around here

That's 4x4 bales fed to September calvers, typically feeding Oct 1 to June 1.

I feel for your pocket book there fella

 

[Son of Butch]

Feed 15 rounds bales per head/yr
I like to have 2 bales per head left over when turned out to pasture,
only had 1 bale/ head left over this year, beats buying though.

Where the heck do you live.
That’s a lot of hay per head. 15 rolls will feed 3 big cows through with winter around here.

Foz's location is clearly posted as Nova Scotia.
(aka New Scotland, Eastern Canada along the Atlantic Ocean)
How about everyone add location to profile page, so that it's displayed with your posts too?
There is a difference between Canada and Louisiana.

Talking bales/rolls is a bit meaningless without weight, obvious difference if one is talking 700 lbs
and another 1400 lb bales.

 

[cowgirl8]

We try to keep 2 years of hay on hand. Had that going into the fall last year and fed all but 100 bales. We have tons of hay standing, it just has to dry out before we can bale....looks like rain today... I went across most of our place today and there is water standing almost everywhere. But the grass, holy smokes. The pasture around our house, 40 acres, has had over 60 cows on it for a month.. its so tall, we could bale it. This field got fertilized. The one behind it holds a herd of 90, its about 60 acres and those cows have been in there for weeks and the grass is still taller than my 4wheeler. Such a change from last spring....