Fat cows from TSC sweet feed?
- Thread starter Richnm
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In this area in a season you can grow 3-5 cuttings of alfalfa or 1 maybe 2 cuttings of grass hay , why in the world would anyone grow 1-2 cuttings of less Valuable feed ? How does that pencil out?
Never said I fed dairy quality alfalfa to my beef cows .
Protein percentage in alfalfa is determined by when it is cut. Prebloom is high protein low ton per acre and almost always goes to dairy farms if you cut at 20 percent bloom you have a high tonnage per acre and lower protein
Never said I fed dairy quality alfalfa to my beef cows .
Protein percentage in alfalfa is determined by when it is cut. Prebloom is high protein low ton per acre and almost always goes to dairy farms if you cut at 20 percent bloom you have a high tonnage per acre and lower protein
Jeanne - Simme Valley
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But what are you input costs to grow Alfalfa. I have not planted my hayfields for over 20 years. Occasionally, spread clover seed - frost seed with our quads.
Input costs are close to that of grass with 3-5 times more tons per acre/per year plus the higher feed value
Many of the beef producers who grow their own alfalfa hay and feed in the same fields haven't replanted in 20 plus years.
Those who raise alfalfa to sell for dairy hay replant roughly every 5 years . But it is usually in a crop rotation, usually planted in ground that had previously been planted in grain,lately most often corn. So they can repair the ground and help add nitrogen back into the soil. A lot plant alfalfa with a nurse crop often oats . The first year yield is usually roughly the same tonnage yield as grass hay .so alfalfa pencils out far better then grass hay . That is why so little grass hay is grown here. And most is baled in small bales for horse feed or small hobby farms and is not cost efficient to buy .
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Rmc - dairy farmers do about the same here - but, again - difference of location - alfalfa needs to be replanted about 3 years.
WFfarm
Well-known member
Our local TSC sells sweet feed for $12-$14 a 50lb bag. They sell shell corn for $11 a bag. Higher prices may be because of all the hobby farmers with pet goats and horses. Or maybe it's just more expensive doing business in NY.
TexasBred
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Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Bryan - I think a lot of people are buying that WSC for the deer - LOL
I buy mine bulk 4-5 ton at a time.
I buy mine bulk 4-5 ton at a time.
Free choice of any hay is a waste of money and resources.
Nowhere have I stated that it was dairy quality alfalfa or that it was feed free choice.
But their are far more nutrients in alfalfa other then protein that are not available in grass hay.
Don't discount alfalfa as a winter supplement
I grew up on a farm where alfalfa was always part of the crop rotation. Much of the alfalfa went to local dairies, but even inferior alfalfa found a home
the above article states that that a Kansas state study showed that cows feed alfalfa breed back quicker. And calves weaning weight was highest if their dam received the higher percentage of alfalfa to dams weight.
Nope not cost effective, or necessary to feed beef cows alfalfa.
Why would anyone want to wean larger calves and have cows breed back quicker?
Everyone knows you can starve profit into a cow. Why supplement a pregnant cow with alfalfa and have her breed back quicker and risk her weaning a larger calf?
Nope not cost effective, or necessary to feed beef cows alfalfa.
Why would anyone want to wean larger calves and have cows breed back quicker?
Everyone knows you can starve profit into a cow. Why supplement a pregnant cow with alfalfa and have her breed back quicker and risk her weaning a larger calf?
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Silver
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faster horses
Well-known member
Who is arguing against alfalfa as a winter SUPPLEMENT? It's a great protein supplement. The best, I would say.Don't discount alfalfa as a winter supplement
I grew up on a farm where alfalfa was always part of the crop rotation. Much of the alfalfa went to local dairies, but even inferior alfalfa found a homewww.enidnews.com
As a SOLE feed source, it isn't necessary. Mixed with grass hay, YES. Mixed with hay barley or
cereal grain hay, proceed with caution because it can cause the cow to milk too heavy after calving and predispose the calf to scours.
So you would rather feed grain and grass hay . You even say it isn't done much as it should be because of the difficulty of feeding grain .
Yet say feeding a single source of proper protein level ,additional energy,nutrients ,minerals,vitamins (late bloom alfalfa)shouldn't be done .
Starve that profit into them . Or spend more time feeding grass hay and you grain of choice that lacks in their nutritional needs . So you don't feed a single feed source that comes closer to meeting their nutritional needs , and risk them breeding back quicker and weaning a larger calf .
faster horses
Well-known member
I'm not saying that. You are arguing with yourself.
Just to make sure you know, I certainly advise being on a good mineral PROGRAM.
And of course, good nutrition is of utmost importance. We've done hay sampling,
grass sampling, water sampling for customers for years. We did NOT feed alfalfa hay because we didn't have it We fed only straight grass hay and no cake and no lick tubs. Our herd health was great and our cows had 85-90% breed back in the first heat cycle. I'm talking for years...so if you want to argue with that, go ahead. If you want to feed straight alfalfa, go ahead.
BTW, where are you located? Your profile doesn't say.
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faster horses
Well-known member
OOPS, didn't mean that twice.
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Don't feed alfalfa,never have fed alfalfa don't have access to alfalfa.
But know more about the nutritional needs and environment of the high elevation deseret and those who have actually used alfalfa to feed beef cattle for years and in some cases multigenerational ranches that have done this successfully. As well as the research that backs it up .
But you know best . Got it
