feeding hay

[SRBeef]

Last week on business I drove about the north-south length of Illinois from about the WI border to near the Ohio river, Evansville, IN and Paducah, KY.

The difference in climate/weather/grass was amazing, even within Illinois.

Up north every bit of water is frozen solid, there is snow and ice on everything. A cow would need an ice pick to find some grass. Temperatures were in the teens F that day.

At the same time south of about Effingham, IL the ponds are not frozen, there were cattle grazing on stored fescue, very little snow cover, temps were in the 20'sF that day.

In central IL there were a couple of fields with cows grazing on harvested corn stalks with a bit of snow on the ground.

In most fields/yards with cattle in the north half there was hay out. In the south half saw some hay out but mostly still grazing.

On aboard like this it is sometimes hard to remind ourselves of the geographic differences between caring for cattle this time of year in say, Texas or Georgia, compared to say Minnesota or WI or even the N half of IL.

Today (Sunday) is a bear! High of about -5 deg F and winds in the 20 mph range most of the day. My anemometer is reading 13 mph as the last gust in prev 10 minutes. Wind chills are absurd, maybe dangerous. I know you folks in Canada or the Dakotas get more of this even.

Just something to keep in mind. Asking someone from N IL on north if he's started feeding hay yet is a bit like a joke. Our problem is not if we're feeding hay, it's keeping the water running and teats from freezing as shown elsewhere here.

I am still strip grazing some standing unharvested corn along with free choice hay. My problem right now is I can't get anything into the ground to limit a new strip. Sharpened (on the grinder) rebar post with a sledge hammer worked last time but I'm not sure even that will work on this week's move.

Good luck to all in the north and stay safe. Body parts freeze real fast in this weather!

 

[1982vett]

My problem right now is I can't get anything into the ground to limit a new strip. Sharpened (on the grinder) rebar post with a sledge hammer worked last time but I'm not sure even that will work on this week's move.

Have you tried a good 18v cordless drill with a drill bit to match the rebar? Just a thought.

 

[Angus Cowman]

freind of mine uses 3lb coffee cans with rebar concreted in them for his temp fence so he never drives them in

 

[SRBeef]

I have a good battery drill and an 18" long 3/8" dia ships auger but have been hesitant to use a $25 drill bit to make holes in the ground - this is one of my main fencing bits and it would be useless after that in RR ties but maybe its worth it now. I'll start with a standard worn out bit and see if maybe a couple inch deep drilled hole and then the sledge will work. Thank you.

I really like the idea of coffee cans filled with concrete holding a rebar post. I think I'll make up a dozen or so of those over next summer that sound like the answer I like. Probably heavy enough to stay upright but light enough to move in and out of the Ranger when I need to.

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Nesikep]

not useful for now, but an old brake drum with a post welded to it works nicely, and if it freezes to the ground you can usually just whack it with a hammer (don't try kicking it) and the vibration will set it free...

failing that, if the rebar is heavy enough, and sharpened, you should be able to drive it in with a postpounder (a good piece of 2" pipe or so, capped on an end with a handle)

 

[1982vett]

SRBeef, use an ordinary twist bit for steel, a good hardware store will have some up to 12 inches long. Cost a severl bucks but not $25 and you can re-sharpen them if you are good enough.

The concrete buckets sound like a good idea too.

 

[dun]

Might want to think about a masonary bit rather then a regular bit.

 

[KenB]

Just fill the coffee cans with water, stick the rebar in them and set them outside. no need to wait until summer to do the concrete when a can of ice will work just as well.

 

[1982vett]

Might want to think about a masonary bit rather then a regular bit.

I was thinking that too, if he had a hammer drill.

 

[dun]

Might want to think about a masonary bit rather then a regular bit.

I was thinking that too, if he had a hammer drill.

Depends on the masonary bit. Those will the hardened pice on the end get battered too badly with a hammer drill. The masonary bits that don;t have that hardened pice are ideal with hmammerdrills. But the cheapos with that end on them work find in a regualr drill.

 

[1982vett]

I'm still voting for twist drill. I'm thinking frozen cornfield is going to be about as hard as cinder block to push a 3/8 masonary bit thru with a cordless drill. A twist bit just might shave the ice and dirt. But then the friction of the masonary bit might melt the ice and dirt into mud. :? Shoot, wouldn't hurt to try em both.

Bet the battery dies before he's done either way.

 

[SRBeef]

I'll try a couple different drill bit methods and report back later in the week. Initially the sharp point would just break thru the frozen top then I could pound it in with the 5 lb sledge. I think now the ground is probably frozen 8" deep or more in this cornfield in WI. I'm a litle afraid of just using frozen water in the cans in case we do have a Jan thaw. That can be plan B if the drilling doesn't work out. I've got a number of batteries for the Milwaukee 18V hammer drill. Thanks again for the ideas. I'll try to take a picture or two.

 

[mobgrazer]

If you're using rebar why not weld 3 feet on to each one of them. I did this to my rebar post and the only problems are they don't store as well after words. If there left out to long they do freeze to the ground but do come up with light kick unless a good amount of stuff has fallen on them. I don't have real storage issues because I use them all year round.

I do have some break drum post as already said that work good for corners. They have the required weight.

The drill is a pain but dose have places that it's needed. One the corners or where you can't find level ground you will need to drill in a post. I do like the twist bits if I have to use one. Don't forget to put a heavy sock or two over the battery so it takes a bit longer to get cold.

I hate the cans of concrete. I find the concrete cracks with a few taps with a hammer and then the post will come out when you lift them by the post. Weld something to the sides of the post in the concrete to help but it will pull out on you.

 

[dun]

I hate the cans of concrete. I find the concrete cracks with a few taps with a hammer and then the post will come out when you lift them by the post. Weld something to the sides of the post in the concrete to help but it will pull out on you.

That's the reason the dairy uses old bleach bottles. But dairys typically have tons of bleach bottles available unlike normal folks.

 

[mnmtranching]

At calving time I will again need to put up some temporary electric wire. This works real good and you can move often and where ever you like.
A round piece of fire wood. About a foot or better across 6-8 inches high, a half inch hole drilled into it, then a 3/8 inch rebar post. If you need a corner, a bigger piece or a little water to freeze underneath.

 

[dun]

At calving time I will again need to put up some temporary electric wire. This works real good and you can move often and where ever you like.
A round piece of fire wood. About a foot or better across 6-8 inches high, a half inch hole drilled into it, then a 3/8 inch rebar post. If you need a corner, a bigger piece or a little water to freeze underneath.

If you need some more firewood for those bases come on down and get it. I can;t hardly give the stuff away and that's the leftovers from the icestorm of 2007.

 

[4CTophand]

well sir, If you have 80 cows that are weighing approx 1200 lbs they will eat about 3% of their BW --plus they have calves ---so.... they are probably into their higher nutritional requiremnt period (calves 2-3 months)
80 x 1200 x 0.03 = 2880 lbs

Cows Nutr Requirement for Moderate milkers = 2.5
hay at 12 % and 60% TDN = Feed value of .072
1200 lb cow eating 36 lbs of hay per day in this scenario will end up with 36 x .072 = 2.592 ==Done!

 

[bigbull338]

im well aware of how much they eat pre pair.i was just wondering if every1 elses cows are eating alot of hay as well.my cows an calves have a 150ac pasture to run on.an in the last 2yrs the herd has doubled in size.

 

[4CTophand]

cows arent eating much hay too much good graze out there in the rye field--- we are phasing out hay altogether in the next few years as we no longer need it or want it
T

 

[novatech]

cows arent eating much hay too much good graze out there in the rye field--- we are phasing out hay altogether in the next few years as we no longer need it or want it
T

Basically I do the same. I do recommend that you keep hay on hand. Last year I fed very little hay. That left the barn pretty well full. This year I have no stockpiled forage and the rye and oats are hurting because of drought. I sure am glad I have hay to feed.