Fat cows from TSC sweet feed?

[Richnm]

I was delivering some hay the other day. And the customers cows were fat, actually massive is a better word to describe them. He only had 5 and they are commercial cows/pets. He only feeds alfalfa and sweet feed from tractor supply. This is the 3rd time I have seen fat animals at different places and the owner uses basic sweet feed from TSC. He said he feeds 3 pounds a head a day. Has anyone else noticed this before ? I will try and get some pics.

 

[greybeard]

3 lbs of 12% all stock sweet feed/hd/day + just alfalfa will sure get them rollypolly but that's $13 worth of 50lbs feed every 3 1/3 days. In 6 months that's 54 sacks of sweet feed at $709 cost not including hay cost.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Probably a correlation between people who have to buy feed from TSC in 50 lb bags vs bulk by the ton. Those of us with small acreage who buy from more mainstream feed stores (due to lack of storage, lack of need for larger amounts) also likely have less land for the cows to be forced to walk for food and water. The alfalfa is probably way more than they need, too. Trying to keep a small herd tame enough to manage without a big herd setup often involves feed training, as well. Good feedlot system though…

 

[greybeard]

$700 will buy a lot of ryegrass seed even at TSC

 

[Dave]

Cows fed straight alfalfa will get fat. Toss a little bit of grain, even a grain as sorry as TSC "sweet feed" and add time to the equation and watch them get fat.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Those cows will never make a dime!
I can understand feeding them, but why would anyone want breeding animals so OVER conditioned?

 

[faster horses]

Those cows will never make a dime!
I can understand feeding them, but why would anyone want breeding animals so OVER conditioned?

It actually goes AGAINST them. Too fat and they won't breed back. Seen it happen...

 

[Brute 23]

$700 will buy a lot of ryegrass seed even at TSC

How much for the rain, fert, equipment, and extra land to plant it?

 

[Hpacres440p]

How much for the rain, fert, equipment, and extra land to plant it?

Rain is the big lacking component

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

NO mature cows need Alfalfa OR any kind of grain. Old cow raising twins - yeah, that would be nice - but normal cows - NOPE. He did say they were PETS. Pets are for fun, not for money. I just have a hard time equating the cost of a cow for a pet.

 

[wbvs58]

Do they produce a calf every year?

Ken

 

[callmefence]

How much for the rain, fert, equipment, and extra land to plant it?

I wouldn't go buy land to plant it but considering 700 lbs of tsc ryegrass no tilled into 33 acre's ( 25 per acre)
I get 726.00 in equipment
1650 in fertilizer (1000.00 per ton)
Grazing from February to March and get 4 4x5 bales per acre in may valued at 60.00 per Bale. Since tsc sells the diploid type of ryegrass it should volunteer back in the future. Better deal than any feed out of a sack. As far as rain.... there is that risk thing

 

[Brute 23]

I wouldn't go buy land to plant it but considering 700 lbs of tsc ryegrass no tilled into 33 acre's ( 25 per acre)
I get 726.00 in equipment
1650 in fertilizer (1000.00 per ton)
Grazing from February to March and get 4 4x5 bales per acre in may valued at 60.00 per Bale. Since tsc sells the diploid type of ryegrass it should volunteer back in the future. Better deal than any feed out of a sack. As far as rain.... there is that risk thing

Exactly. A little more for a guarantee is some times worth it.

People use to plant every thing around here in rye grass when I was a kid. The first 4 year drought got most of them. The second 4 year drought finished it off. Now it's deer plots mostly.

With the long growing seasons of grasses like Tifton and the other bermudas now its hardly worth it. In a wet year when rye grows good so does the Tifton. When it's dry neither will do worth a flip.

That's not even getting in to the deer, hogs and army worms...

 

[Lee VanRoss]

NO mature cows need Alfalfa OR any kind of grain. Old cow raising twins - yeah, that would be nice - but normal cows - NOPE. He did say they were PETS. Pets are for fun, not for money. I just have a hard time equating the cost of a cow for a pet.

Still cheaper than a dog....

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

?? explain ??

 

[Buck Randall]

Still cheaper than a dog....

Both are cheaper than a horse.

 

[Rmc]

NO mature cows need Alfalfa OR any kind of grain.

I disagree mature cows can and do benifit from alfalfa . More tdn per ton then grass . Why feed grass hay then have to add more supplement and minerals if alfalfa hay is available.?
It is more about total nutrition then a single component

 

[Hpacres440p]

I disagree mature cows can and do benifit from alfalfa . More tdn per ton then grass . Why feed grass hay then have to add more supplement and minerals if alfalfa hay is available.?
It is more about total nutrition then a single component

If they're fat they probably don't need either…

 

[callmefence]

Exactly. A little more for a guarantee is some times worth it.

People use to plant every thing around here in rye grass when I was a kid. The first 4 year drought got most of them. The second 4 year drought finished it off. Now it's deer plots mostly.

With the long growing seasons of grasses like Tifton and the other bermudas now its hardly worth it. In a wet year when rye grows good so does the Tifton. When it's dry neither will do worth a flip.

That's not even getting in to the deer, hogs and army worms...

How much for the rain, fert, equipment, and extra land to plant it?

Your right. Buying sacks of feed is better.

 

[Richnm]

Do they produce a calf every year?

Ken

Yes so far.