Got mud?

[jasonleonard]

We have had some frozen weather so far this season , but the mud is crazy right now.
I have three groups of 30something head, and we use those 30 foot feeder wagons to feed out of. I have a stoned up area in one group of cattle. The other 2 groups I have to wade in and hook up the wagon and move it every day, to fight the mud.

I sure hope it freezes up soon. I guess you all are gonna tell me you are still running on stockpiled pasture or stalks!

 

[dun]

We have had some frozen weather so far this season , but the mud is crazy right now.
I have three groups of 30something head, and we use those 30 foot feeder wagons to feed out of. I have a stoned up area in one group of cattle. The other 2 groups I have to wade in and hook up the wagon and move it every day, to fight the mud.

I sure hope it freezes up soon. I guess you all are gonna tell me you are still running on stockpiled pasture or stalks!

Now that the earlier ice/snow has melted we're back on stockpiled fescue. Got ice again yesterday but only about a 1/4 inch so the cows are doing fine grazing through it.

 

[fitz]

We have had some frozen weather so far this season , but the mud is crazy right now.
I have three groups of 30something head, and we use those 30 foot feeder wagons to feed out of. I have a stoned up area in one group of cattle. The other 2 groups I have to wade in and hook up the wagon and move it every day, to fight the mud.

I sure hope it freezes up soon. I guess you all are gonna tell me you are still running on stockpiled pasture or stalks!

My feeding area is a quagmire. Looks like you and I both are going to get more rain today.

fitz

 

[denvermartinfarms]

We've had a foot of snow and some ice, I have one herd on stockpiled grass, but for the rest of them I'm feeding about 6 bales a day. And yes, it's MUDDY! Most places it's rocky enough that there's a bottom to it, but not everywhere.

 

[snake67]

We have had some frozen weather so far this season , but the mud is crazy right now.
I have three groups of 30something head, and we use those 30 foot feeder wagons to feed out of. I have a stoned up area in one group of cattle. The other 2 groups I have to wade in and hook up the wagon and move it every day, to fight the mud.

I sure hope it freezes up soon. I guess you all are gonna tell me you are still running on stockpiled pasture or stalks!

All our cows have bales in the field - they walk on dry ground or snow - they have no tag at all and they do not have to search for solid ground - because we do not concentrate the feed areas.

I will write this out again for folks to think on.

We spread the bales out over a large area. There is some waste - but there are benefits. The cows feed themselves. I do no work at all once the bales are out.

1. Only start a tractor to feed cows about three times a year. I bet I use less than 15 gallons of fuel to feed cattle for an entire winter. Wear and tear on a tractor in the winter is an issue often ignored by people.
2. Never have to spread manure - the cows do it
3. Never have cows tagged up with mud and schitte - they sell better and are healthier
4. Fertilizer costs are dramatically reduced

There are a lot more benefits - but every year folks complain about the mud and I always wonder about it.

If it is so frigging bad then why don't you do something about it?

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and always hoping for a different result. In the end it will not change unless you - the operator - does something to make it better.

I never use feeder wagons because of the mud - concentrated feed areas - if not properly prepared are a frigging mess and invite issues from animal rights folks and your local do-gooder who calls the SPCA - there are other ways - I am sure you can figure it out for future use.

In the end some wasted hay is far better than making the cows wade through mud to eat - how is the tag situation - got a dry place to lay down?

Complain all you want - but it will not get better until you decide to MAKE it better.

Absolutely hate seeing cattle wade to feed - and the public looks at it and thinks we are a bunch of poor animal husbandry folks for allowing it to happen. Perception IS reality. And - if you are not working to make it better and fix the problem - it is irresponsible as well.

Another well respected young producer on this board does the same thing - ask Aaron how he does it. He has even tougher conditions than me! He has detailed his method several times - including pictures - on this board.

It works and the animal is happier, healthier and a better producer.

I await the arrows.

Be safe

Merry Christmas to all

Bez

 

[artesianspringsfarm]

Does anyone have a link to the post that Bez described of Aaron's detailed plans? I for one am very interested Bez and I appreciate your take on just about every aspect of husbandry. Maybe it's because I share the same kind of weather (although probably more snow but less extreme temps). I have not totally mastered the no-mud winter feeding method. It does boggle my mind that people think your method of tough love when it comes to calving is extreme, but that allowing cows to wade udder deep in mud and shyte to get a meal is totally fine. I hate seeing it, and yet I understand how it happens. We have had over 8 feet of snow here in the last three weeks, and now 6 feet of it have melted with driving rain and 40 degrees for the last 4 days. It's a touch messy as you can imagine.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have nothing but med. I dread February all ready. Mud brings me down. It really alters my mood. I think the day will come, when I spend the winters in a dryer climate.

 

[kenny thomas]

We have had some frozen weather so far this season , but the mud is crazy right now.
I have three groups of 30something head, and we use those 30 foot feeder wagons to feed out of. I have a stoned up area in one group of cattle. The other 2 groups I have to wade in and hook up the wagon and move it every day, to fight the mud.

I sure hope it freezes up soon. I guess you all are gonna tell me you are still running on stockpiled pasture or stalks!

Not even gotten them to the stalks yet. Too much grass yet. I set out a few rolls of 4 year old hay a week or so ago and they ate some of it just because it was different but wasn't really interested. I didn't need to feed but was trying to get rid of the hay because I don't plan on leasing that farm next year. I hate mud really bad but rarely have to deal with it. If the cows dont do well on my system I sell them and replace them with some that does.

 

[inyati13]

jason,
My cows are still on stockpiled pasture. I plan to begin hay feeding in February. I agree with Bigfoot, mud can make you foul. I put down mine waste-run which is free except for trucking. It cost $150 per 22 tons to have it delivered so for 500 dollars I was able to put down a pad for my 20 head to use when they come in to get loose mineral, protein tubs and mixed feed. Since I am currently on an AI basis only, I feed mixed feed several times a week during the breeding season to get them in so I can sort the ones out that I need to AI and hold them for breeding in the handling facility. The top of the waste rock is a little tacky right now but eventually it will setup.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

I place my bales out in a grid in the fall and put an electric fence around them. I have my fence set so that they can work on two bales at a time with feeders around them. When they eat those two up I move one fence post, 30 ft of wire, and the feeders to the next two bales and I am good to go. I never need a tractor and my manure and mud is spread out. I can get this moved much quicker than I can get a tractor started.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

We've had alot of rain over the weekend, here's what our lower pasture looks like.


wife took pic thru screen porch is why is looks funny.