Feeding in winter

[Craig Miller]

I was just informed but one of the guys at work that EVERYBODY from small timer to big timer in east oklahoma feeds their cattle everyday in the winter. I asked why and if they couldn't just live on hay alone. He said he don't know. I figure they just need a better quality hay but I don't know. And it seems to me they could afford it with the added feed they are putting out. What do you think?

 

[kenny thomas]

I think in my area, which is definitely a different area, if a cow cant make it on stockpiled grass and hay she gets culled.

 

[farmguy]

My cows never see grain and they do just fine in a much harsher climate, Minnesota.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Nor mine. Hay first 1/3rd of winter, and baleage there on out.

 

[Bigfoot]

I don't guess I have to, but I supplement the last half of February, and the month of March. It cost me about 50 cents a day per cow, but I feel like it's returned.

 

[skyhightree1]

They get grain daily from me and some tubs are out.

 

[J&D Cattle]

I test my hay and supplement accordingly. Wet cows will get a little gluten this year with the hay we have out there and the dry cows won't get anything except hay.

 

[dun]

I test my hay and supplement accordingly. Wet cows will get a little gluten this year with the hay we have out there and the dry cows won't get anything except hay.

I may supplement the 3 that calved this month but everything else gets hay or baleage unless we get deep snow or ice

 

[TexasBred]

I waste a lot of money feeding when it's really not necessary I Know.....but I just enjoy watching them eat and walking in, out and through them. Good hay won't need any supplemention.

 

[J&D Cattle]

I test my hay and supplement accordingly. Wet cows will get a little gluten this year with the hay we have out there and the dry cows won't get anything except hay.

I may supplement the 3 that calved this month but everything else gets hay or baleage unless we get deep snow or ice

You wrap your own hay Dun or have somebody do it? I think they charge $5/bale here.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I waste a lot of money feeding when it's really not necessary I Know.....but I just enjoy watching them eat and walking in, out and through them. Good hay won't need any supplemention.

We enjoy the same things around here. It's all about nutrition, and making your cows calm. Some folks claim they don't feed and lie about it on here. They've only been on milk and pasture yet the cows and calves will walk up to you in the pasture? Yeah right tell that lie to someone else. Good grass and legumes is the best cow feed going but sometimes you just can't grow grass. And sometimes the grass cost more per pound of gain than feed.

 

[TCRanch]

I waste a lot of money feeding when it's really not necessary I Know.....but I just enjoy watching them eat and walking in, out and through them. Good hay won't need any supplemention.

We enjoy the same things around here. It's all about nutrition, and making your cows calm. Some folks claim they don't feed and lie about it on here. They've only been on milk and pasture yet the cows and calves will walk up to you in the pasture? Yeah right tell that lie to someone else. Good grass and legumes is the best cow feed going but sometimes you just can't grow grass. And sometimes the grass cost more per pound of gain than feed.

I won't lie. Not much but every day

 

[Supa Dexta]

Feeders, heifers and bulls get some grain. My cows do not, But if raised here they would remember what it was from their heifer days.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I was just informed but one of the guys at work that EVERYBODY from small timer to big timer in east oklahoma feeds their cattle everyday in the winter. I asked why and if they couldn't just live on hay alone. He said he don't know. I figure they just need a better quality hay but I don't know. And it seems to me they could afford it with the added feed they are putting out. What do you think?

I have when feed was cheaper than hay
When hay got to 100 dollars a roll it was more bang for your buck to supplement with 2-1-1 or CLS

 

[dun]

Feeders, heifers and bulls get some grain. My cows do not, But if raised here they would remember what it was from their heifer days.

Bingo. The calves before weaning are usually a little spooky but not nut cases. When we work them we tole them up with grain, about 2 mouthfulls per head. We spend time out wandering around the cows and calves before weaning so the calves while a little spooky don;t go nuts becuase they're used to having people among them and the cows don;t mind.

 

[skyhightree1]

In the winter I would feed maybe 3-5 tons a week of grain.. I am feeding no where near that now. I use slices of bread for treats now the cattle love bread.

 

[ohiosteve]

I don't have nearly the number of cattle as many on here at this time, but I have been feeding cattle that I own for about 20 years. I took a very large loan out when I was 20 and bought 90 head of Holsteins. I was in way in over my head but made some money and learned a heII of a lot. I spent a lot of money on feed.
Nowadays my cattle get grass and some hay in the winter, a little bit of mineral and a little bit of fly spray in the summer. They get woods for shelter in the harsh winters around here and they are thriving.
With good pasture, no overcrowding and low stress for the cattle there is no need for feed in my book. I understand finishing them out on grain if that's what brings you the most at sale time but it's not necessary for everybody.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I waste a lot of money feeding when it's really not necessary I Know.....but I just enjoy watching them eat and walking in, out and through them. Good hay won't need any supplemention.

We enjoy the same things around here. It's all about nutrition, and making your cows calm. Some folks claim they don't feed and lie about it on here. They've only been on milk and pasture yet the cows and calves will walk up to you in the pasture? Yeah right tell that lie to someone else. Good grass and legumes is the best cow feed going but sometimes you just can't grow grass. And sometimes the grass cost more per pound of gain than feed.

I pour out a bag of cubes once a week in the catch pen, worth every penny.
I won't own a cow anymore that I can't call up in the pen with a bag of cubes.

 

[Clodhopper]

Feeders, heifers and bulls get some grain. My cows do not, But if raised here they would remember what it was from their heifer days.

Pretty much the same program here, but we do feed cows to catch them. Cowboy in a bucket!

 

[1982vett]

Winter pasture......had a mild wet winter last year in my part of Texas so plenty of winter grasses and clover. I fed 10 rolls of hay to 60 cows, mostly to slow the runs after putting them on the oats in January. Only bag feed they get besides mineral and salt, is calf creep for about a month when weaning heifers to keep, and a bucket or bag of cubes a couple days before penning and another when I pen.....unless they followed me into the trap.