ny_grass
Well-known member
Greetings all,
It's been some time since I've checked in. We had a wonderful summer, all our mama cows calved without problems (except our helfer calf which got confused and didn't want to nurse her calf at first) and have been healthy, happy and fast growing. I castrated my bulls a couple of weeks ago (using the California bander again which I continue to think is the way to go).
Not all is perfect, of course, as I'm still putting in my new automatic insulated waterer and, more importantly, I haven't secured all of the feed I'll need for the winter. Everyone around here is wanting too much for their hay (or, perhaps, I'm just cheap and have been waiting for a great deal). One guy around here wants $30 for a small round bale (which probably weight 500 lbs). It's good hay but for 7 mamas and 7 7-9 month old calves that means a very expensive winter feeding bill.
Two farmers, however, are offering wrapped bales for $20. So my question, are they a viable option up here in Upstate NY? I mean, it seems obvious to me that if they are too wet then they are going to be frozen when unwrapped. The one farmer claims that he makes his with less moisture than most people and they won't freeze (but even he, being a dairy farmer, has most of his experience with the bales in his barn). Perhaps they do freeze but not solid and the cows can still just pick off flakes? I'm inclined to think the risk of the cows not being able to feed themselves is too great and I need to go with dry hay.
How about nutrition? Will haylage keep them warm enough? I don't know the details but I've heard that even poor quality hay does a fair job of keeping cattle warm (though it may lack in the other elements of nutrition)? Perhaps haylage, with higher protein levels, might not work in a cold climate?
Thanks for any help ;-)
JR
It's been some time since I've checked in. We had a wonderful summer, all our mama cows calved without problems (except our helfer calf which got confused and didn't want to nurse her calf at first) and have been healthy, happy and fast growing. I castrated my bulls a couple of weeks ago (using the California bander again which I continue to think is the way to go).
Not all is perfect, of course, as I'm still putting in my new automatic insulated waterer and, more importantly, I haven't secured all of the feed I'll need for the winter. Everyone around here is wanting too much for their hay (or, perhaps, I'm just cheap and have been waiting for a great deal). One guy around here wants $30 for a small round bale (which probably weight 500 lbs). It's good hay but for 7 mamas and 7 7-9 month old calves that means a very expensive winter feeding bill.
Two farmers, however, are offering wrapped bales for $20. So my question, are they a viable option up here in Upstate NY? I mean, it seems obvious to me that if they are too wet then they are going to be frozen when unwrapped. The one farmer claims that he makes his with less moisture than most people and they won't freeze (but even he, being a dairy farmer, has most of his experience with the bales in his barn). Perhaps they do freeze but not solid and the cows can still just pick off flakes? I'm inclined to think the risk of the cows not being able to feed themselves is too great and I need to go with dry hay.
How about nutrition? Will haylage keep them warm enough? I don't know the details but I've heard that even poor quality hay does a fair job of keeping cattle warm (though it may lack in the other elements of nutrition)? Perhaps haylage, with higher protein levels, might not work in a cold climate?
Thanks for any help ;-)
JR
Never heard that before - only that it needed temps below 32 degrees and room to expand by about 10%. Not trying to be a smart-alec. That being said, every water molecule out there has one atom of oxygen in it, otherwise it wouldn't be water.
