Feeding

[Newrancher2020]

Do y'all just feed your cows hay and let them graze the pasture or do y'all add grain in too

 

[kenny thomas]

Mine only get grain a few times a year when I'm working or selling them.
Calves get weaned and eat grain every day.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Your cows will only work as had for you as you do for them.
I feed Purina wind & rain mineral year round. The cows live in grass all summer, then mid September I start green chopping corn so I can save my hay for winter. I calve in March. From Nov through March I feed 25lbs of corn silage, 10lbs corn stalks, 20lbs good mixed hay, and 1/2lb of Purina balancer per Hd per day. In January they start getting 2lbs of shell corn, and in February I upped it to 4.7lbs Hd/day.
I chopped 10 acres of silage and it is going to end up saving me almost 100 round bales this year!

 

[kenny thomas]

And I use good mineral, stockpile fescue for the winter and spend very little on anything else.
I'm sure you have very good calves but I'm not sure what the profit difference is. Not saying I'm right but it's what I do.
I'm hoping to graze 325 -330 days next winter.

 

[pricefarm]

And I use good mineral, stockpile fescue for the winter and spend very little on anything else.
I'm sure you have very good calves but I'm not sure what the profit difference is. Not saying I'm right but it's what I do.
I'm hoping to graze 325 -330 days next winter.

Iam thinking of selling some cows and running fewer hoping to graze longer. I have feed way to much hay this winter. How many acres per cow are you running?

 

[kenny thomas]

About 1.5 acres per cow. Will get less than that soon. But it cost to get there.

 

[Newrancher2020]

I am running 1 an acre

 

[Hardnosecattleco]

I make sure I got all my salt blocks out and if the pasture is keeping up I don't feed out hay but if needed I do. I feed grain daily just so the cows know bthe grain bucket. Just insurance I suppose

 

[kenny thomas]

I am running 1 an acre

Are you running 1 per acre year round? Very good job if you are. I can't do that.

 

[Newrancher2020]

I am running 1 an acre

Are you running 1 per acre year round? Very good job if you are. I can't do that.

For the most part I do

 

[pricefarm]

I am running 1 an acre

Are you running 1 per acre year round? Very good job if you are. I can't do that.

For the most part I do

That what I run 1 pair per acre. I had to start feeding hay around the first of December and will feed probably to around April. I might cut back to 1 pair per 2 acres. I have several old cows and a couple crazy ones that might get sold and not replaced

 

[kenny thomas]

Are you running 1 per acre year round? Very good job if you are. I can't do that.

For the most part I do

That what I run 1 pair per acre. I had to start feeding hay around the first of December and will feed probably to around April. I might cut back to 1 pair per 2 acres. I have several old cows and a couple crazy ones that might get sold and not replaced

I'm still not sure where the profit between feeding hay all winter or grazing less numbers is break even. But I hate feeding when it's so nasty out.
It's very different to graze 8 months as you say and get to 11 months. I can get 10 months pretty easy but 11 is very hard.

 

[Dsth]

I feed my cows about 2.5 lbs. of ground corn the year round. they are out on pasture when available from May until snow flies. I figure it is a lot easier to have the cows come to me during the summer so I can check for pinkeye or any other health problems that may come up. feed free choice mineral year round and feed good quality hay in winter when my calving season is (December-February.)

 

[kenny thomas]

Are you running 1 per acre year round? Very good job if you are. I can't do that.

For the most part I do

That what I run 1 pair per acre. I had to start feeding hay around the first of December and will feed probably to around April. I might cut back to 1 pair per 2 acres. I have several old cows and a couple crazy ones that might get sold and not replaced

Does the one pair per acre include the acres it takes to grow hay? That's fantastic if it does.

 

[pricefarm]

For the most part I do

That what I run 1 pair per acre. I had to start feeding hay around the first of December and will feed probably to around April. I might cut back to 1 pair per 2 acres. I have several old cows and a couple crazy ones that might get sold and not replaced

Does the one pair per acre include the acres it takes to grow hay? That's fantastic if it does.

No that's just grazing. What two months do you feed hay?

 

[kenny thomas]

If it's a good year I plan on feeding 2-3 weeks in December. Start grazing stockpile Dec 20. It should last till late February. Feed 5-6 weeks till April 5. That's when I try to turn out. By that date I can move through the paddocks every couple days and it will still be ok.

 

[kenny thomas]

If it's a good year I plan on feeding 2-3 weeks in December. Start grazing stockpile Dec 20. It should last till late February. Feed 5-6 weeks till April 5. That's when I try to turn out. By that date I can move through the paddocks every couple days and it will still be ok.

I'm going to attend 6 grazing classes this year begining tomorrow night. Maybe I can get more days of grazing next year.
I ask what they were going to talk about and some of it was Grazing 300. Supposed to help people toward the goal of grazing 300 days a year. I told them I would have to stay after class because I'm going to try to get 325 days this year.

 

[pricefarm]

If it's a good year I plan on feeding 2-3 weeks in December. Start grazing stockpile Dec 20. It should last till late February. Feed 5-6 weeks till April 5. That's when I try to turn out. By that date I can move through the paddocks every couple days and it will still be ok.

I'm going to attend 6 grazing classes this year begining tomorrow night. Maybe I can get more days of grazing next year.
I ask what they were going to talk about and some of it was Grazing 300. Supposed to help people toward the goal of grazing 300 days a year. I told them I would have to stay after class because I'm going to try to get 325 days this year.

What do you think about feeding hay the month of September and maybe into October? That way all the pasture can grow and maybe spread out some N to give it a boost?

 

[kenny thomas]

Nothing wrong with that either.