Feed

[Anonymous]

I was told that feeding cows straight alfalfa would harm their kidney. How much is this true? So I feed them wheat or Oak with the alfalfa or is straight alfalfa ok. Thanks

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

I suppose it's possible. We eaised cows for years on straight alfalfa and never had a problem, dairy herds in some areas are fed alfalfa their entire lives and don't ssem to suffer any ill affects. I'ld talk with a knowledgable large animal vet in your area.

dunmovin farms

> I was told that feeding cows
> straight alfalfa would harm their
> kidney. How much is this true? So
> I feed them wheat or Oak with the
> alfalfa or is straight alfalfa ok.
> Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Well we where feeding Alfalfa only to our herd and were having trouble getting them to settle at breeding time...once we talked to a nutritionalist we realized thet Alfalfa is just to high in protein and the phosphourus calcium ratio is way off. To high protein causes a cow not to settle. You have to remember that at a dairy the goal is milk production not calves or meat. They are putting in a lot of nutrition but then in turn pulling it out of them on a twice daily basis with milking them. A cow needs a 8-9% protein diet with a 1:1 calcium phosphourus ratio. Good Luck to ya...Since I don't know what your goal is with your herd I hope this helps. We live on the west coast and feed Bermuda hay along with a vitamin.mineral supplemement

[email protected]