Feeding Problem

[SBMF 2015]

Twenty years ago I wasn't herdsmen yet. Just the new college kid learning. The more I learned the more decisions I got to make. The first time in my life that market cows got over $1/lb I cleaned house. We sold 30 cows that fall and things started to get calmer and easier to work with.

 

[hrranch]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I make my horses respect me but cattle don't think like horses. Guess it's time to make the cattle have some respect.

 

[AmandaQ]

Thanks for putting a location on your profile...

A lot of us here that stick around have been serious ranchers, as in... in it as a lifestyle and trying to make the cows pay for themselves. So we don't feed animals grain unless we are fattening them for slaughter or feeding hay in the winter because the snow is too deep for them to get any forage. We might use grain to get cows into an enclosure or to train them to come when they are called. A 3 pound coffee can will entice a thousand cows into a corral if they think it has grain in it.

But we don't see food as love... which a lot of newbies seem to think it is.

If you're worried about horns and being trampled you can do a couple of things. Go to a farm sale and find one of those movable feeding panels... and then plant some stout posts in a fenceline to attach it to. Feed on the opposite side as the cattle and let them stick their heads through.

Or... if you have a corral/enclosure for working/containing animals, put your feed bunk in the middle and keep the gate closed when you throw the grain into the bunk. Then stand back as you open the gate.

Also a newbie and you might have pegged me pretty well here. But now I'm worried my two cows are starving. I think they ate all of the grass down and so I'm feeding them hay. But how much hay is enough? I'm waiting for a fish scale to come so I can weigh the hay. I found the complicated math problem about feeding hay but until I know how much hay to give them, I'm still guessing. My vet said two wheelbarrows full of hay a day. Does that sound right?

 

[Travlr]

Also a newbie and you might have pegged me pretty well here. But now I'm worried my two cows are starving. I think they ate all of the grass down and so I'm feeding them hay. But how much hay is enough? I'm waiting for a fish scale to come so I can weigh the hay. I found the complicated math problem about feeding hay but until I know how much hay to give them, I'm still guessing. My vet said two wheelbarrows full of hay a day. Does that sound right?

Don't overthink it. Buy marginal hay with a little alfalfa in it but mostly grass and feed it free choice. If you have a bale ring, throw a round bale in it and let them eat it down until it's 3/4 gone and then throw another on top. Or if you have built a feed bunk, just fill it once a day and if there's a little left don't worry about it, fill it again.

I don't know what the thing is with people wanting to weigh out every microgram and agonizing over every little thing as though it makes them better "parents" to a cow... which is a pretty simple and resilient critter. You have a real life don't you? Seriously, Water, grass, and fences... is all you need. Vaccinations and such are a good idea but rarely anything to agonize over. Worm as necessary and that means not very often.

 

[wbvs58]

Also a newbie and you might have pegged me pretty well here. But now I'm worried my two cows are starving. I think they ate all of the grass down and so I'm feeding them hay. But how much hay is enough? I'm waiting for a fish scale to come so I can weigh the hay. I found the complicated math problem about feeding hay but until I know how much hay to give them, I'm still guessing. My vet said two wheelbarrows full of hay a day. Does that sound right?

Fill their feed bin up and don't let them see the bottom of it.

Ken

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Here is a simple hay feeding requirement table I posted on your other forum post.

[Calculator] How to Calculate Your Cattle’s Hay Needs and Cut Costs This Winter

Prepare your cattle for winter with our comprehensive guide on calculating hay needs. Learn how to factor in cow size, feeding duration, hay wastage, and more to ensure your herd stays healthy and productive through the cold months

ranchr.ag

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

My two Jersey adult cows and 3 five month old heifer calves I'd bottle fed I am feeding all the cheapest all the low qualiy native grass hay they want. The reject straw I rake up and use for bedding for the milking cow. it keeps her udder clean. Because my cattle are producing milk or growing I also feed them stocker gowers or dairy grain acording to their weight or production.

A couple of dry cows I would feed cheap grass hay (they just need it for their rumen bacteria which is what they actually digest) plus a couple lbs of 20% protein cow cubes avaivailable at the feed store. Feed a couple of pounds of cubes each will make you feel happy and have a relationship plus fill their requirement.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Also a newbie and you might have pegged me pretty well here. But now I'm worried my two cows are starving. I think they ate all of the grass down and so I'm feeding them hay. But how much hay is enough? I'm waiting for a fish scale to come so I can weigh the hay. I found the complicated math problem about feeding hay but until I know how much hay to give them, I'm still guessing. My vet said two wheelbarrows full of hay a day. Does that sound right?

Full grown cows?
I have always said a full grown cow will eat 50lbs of something every day. That could be all hay. Or a combination of feeds.
Don't be afraid to make them clean up their hay. If given a chance cattle will sort out the best part of the feed and waste the rest.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

To be clear. Cattle CAN STARVE being full fed grass or hay - IF it does not have any food value. All hay is not created equal. Some hay has way too much protein (alfalfa) for almost any beef cattle (unless just fed once in a while to up their total diet with some protein). They (COWS) need about ? 7-9% protein in order to digest their total food intake.
Do you know the food value of your hay?
Your cattle may be THIN because they are starving IF the hay is worthless.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

That is why people feed 20% protein cow cubes with it, up to 5 or 6lbs a day per cow when the pasture or hay is just cellulose. My rancher husband taught me that.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Cattle will always waste some hay. They stand, lie and pee on it. Thats why people use hay rings. Still they waste some. I rake up what they leave and use it for bedding so I don't have to buy straw.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

That's one thing I learned via this forum that there are places that have hay so poor cows can starve while eating it.

There's guys making first crop hay around here still in late October and cows will do fairly well on it all winter...

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

That's one thing I learned via this forum that there are places that have hay so poor cows can starve while eating it.

There's guys making first crop hay around here still in late October and cows will do fairly well on it all winter...

Yes, some years the dairyman is still putting up baleage or silage grass right now. But, we can't save it for winter grazing. There are always exceptions to any rule. Last year, we could have grazed stock piled grass. In the process, we would have punched up all the fields.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I have enough pasture fenced now that if we have another winter like last I could graze all year. Doubt it will happen but I'm ready.

Rotate the cows around and they don't make them any rougher than the frost/thaw does here.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have enough pasture fenced now that if we have another winter like last I could graze all year. Doubt it will happen but I'm ready.

Rotate the cows around and they don't make them any rougher than the frost/thaw does here.

I would think your land/weather is similar to Upstate NY??? We have very deep topsoil. In the wet ground we had ALL winter last year, we would have no pastures left if we let the cows on them for even a few days at a time - let alone on any paddock long enough to graze it - size vs number of days grazing. Our land cannot take that beating. Would it come back?? I'm sure it would - it would delay our spring grazing considerably.
Some punching up can benefit the land (like aerating). This is why I go to a different field each year for our "first" rotation paddock. Grass grows so fast, we need to get out on them sooner than you would like --- 1 day in a whole paddock. So, they punch them up in the spring - which is good for them.

 

[Brute 23]

In our case, right now we have knee high grass standing with very little nutritional value. The cows can eat their fill but are losing body condition, especially ones with calves. We have to start a supplement like molasses, cs cubes, or wcs.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Cattle will always waste some hay. They stand, lie and pee on it. Thats why people use hay rings. Still they waste some. I rake up what they leave and use it for bedding so I don't have to buy straw.

This is why we grind hay. The waste is virtually 0. All winter long we feed cows just like they were on a dairy. Balanced ration, fed in bunks. The cows that stay out and run on corn stalks get wet gluten every day. They do get hay in bale feeders and they do waste more than I would like. But it's amazing how much they will clean up if you wait an extra day to give them a new bale.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I would think your land/weather is similar to Upstate NY??? We have very deep topsoil. In the wet ground we had ALL winter last year, we would have no pastures left if we let the cows on them for even a few days at a time - let alone on any paddock long enough to graze it - size vs number of days grazing. Our land cannot take that beating. Would it come back?? I'm sure it would - it would delay our spring grazing considerably.
Some punching up can benefit the land (like aerating). This is why I go to a different field each year for our "first" rotation paddock. Grass grows so fast, we need to get out on them sooner than you would like --- 1 day in a whole paddock. So, they punch them up in the spring - which is good for them.

We have very thin topsoil most places (less than 4" is typical). Under that its 25+ feet of goo red clay. I feed out on my pastures all winter long and rotate them just as I do in summer months so if we have a warm winter like last they can graze, if it has 6' of snow ill feed hay on it.

 

[JJColvin]

Also a newbie and you might have pegged me pretty well here. But now I'm worried my two cows are starving. I think they ate all of the grass down and so I'm feeding them hay. But how much hay is enough? I'm waiting for a fish scale to come so I can weigh the hay. I found the complicated math problem about feeding hay but until I know how much hay to give them, I'm still guessing. My vet said two wheelbarrows full of hay a day. Does that sound right?

A 1000 pound cow will eat 35-40 pounds of hay per day.

 

[farmerjan]

To make it simple, and realize there are some variables... BUT.... if the hay has some nutritional value, good orchard grass or timothy or in the southern states, Bahia or something else like that... figure 1 small sq bale per cow per day... most weigh in the 40-60 lb range average.
This is very GENERAL... but it gives you some place to start.
If you have big round bales... a 4x5 bale will weigh 7-900 lbs.... 5x5 will weigh 900-1200... every baler is different... BUT.... we figure a round bale 5x5 would have the equivalent of about 20-25 sq bales of hay in it... AGAIN very ROUND FIGURES.... but this gives you a very basic start.
If the cow has alot of fat around her tail head, where it is attached to her body... she is too fat... if she has alot of fat over her rib cage and "fat folds" in her neck... she is too fat...
If your winters are very cold... then extra fat will help to keep them warm through the cold... and they will burn some it off to make body heat.

We run a cow/calf operation and son buys and feeds some steers extra along with ours... We feed a little grain 2-3 times a week to the weaned calves for a few weeks at the barn when first weaned... some years we feed some corn silage .... they always have free choice hay.
The older cows all get some grain once a week or every other week... to keep them coming in the pen to be able to catch easier at different pastures. Once they learn that you call them and a bucket in hand means a treat.... they will come even if not fed any grain in the summer.

Highlands have a double hair coat, will retain body heat better in cold and damp weather... and will marble better with less backfat on them. You do not want them to get too much grain or they will have too much fat on the outside of their meat and it will get trimmed off... Breeding animals should not need grain feeding unless they have poor condition for some reason... drought stricken grass, and other "disasters"....