Feeding: Bred vs. Nursing

[Bestoutwest]

I know some guys calve in the fall and some guys calve in the spring. This got me thinking: If you're only able to feed hay (ie a product you have to buy) which is going to eat more; the same cow pregnant or nursing?

Thanks

 

[1982vett]

They are going to eat the same....it's the nutritional value (quality) of the hay (feed) that needs to be better for the nursing (calf at side) and heavy bred ( bred, pregnant) animal....

Being bred or pregnant is the same thing..... ;-)

 

[Bestoutwest]

Fixed it. Duh.

 

[Dave]

You need to feed a nursing cow better. You can to an extent kind of rough a bred cow through the winter but it wont work if she is nursing a calf.

 

[Limomike]

Kinda got into this same discussion last night with a retired cattleman last night. Bred cows will eat as much as a cow with a calf on her side. Our discussion was about during the winter was it harder for the cow or the calf to make it? He said the calf has a harder time because of nothing much to eat during the winter, and hits the mama cow hard for milk, therefore draining the cow of her nutrients. My argument was the the calf eventually starts eating hay too, and feed, and grows just as well.

 

[TexasBred]

As long as a cow is nursing a calf she's spending a lot of energy producing milk so will need a higher quality feed with more protein and energy or more of a lower quality feed to meet her own needs as well as maintain milk production. Most times with lower quality hay/grazing she cannot consume enough to meet her needs and produce adequate milk. Anything less than optimal and she will begin to lose weight, drop in milk production or both.

 

[Nite Hawk]

Can depend on your climate how well calves do over the winter. A neighbor who has a cattle scale, for a number of years calved out in Feb. which can have some fairly cold temperatures, not uncommon to hit minus 30 F*
He decided to try out March calvings for a bit and discouvered at sale time there was almost no difference in the weight between
Feb Calves and March calves. He figured that the Feb calves burned alot of their energy just trying to stay warm, where the March calves, put more energy towards growing.
Other people say March calves have a higher scours rate due to mud during break up.
so take your pick.personally I prefer March, checking animals at minus 30 during the night and having to warm critters that get chilled isn't fun.....