ky colonel
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What amount of corn or cattle mix does everyone feed in winter to cows to keep conditions good?
That's what mine get, and not always great hay either.. usually oat hay until new years or so, then first cut grass/alfalfa.. second cut for after calving and they're milkingSilver":371h14ke said:Hay and TM salt
Three or four years ago we had a lot of hay just not quality, and a wet freezing cold winter at times. A lot of folks lost cows some lost a bunch by not knowing what kind of hay they were feeding. Most folks feed free choice hay and as long as it's 7-8% P and the tdn over 50 a cow can survive on hay only. If you add freezing rain and lower either the tdn or protein you'll either starve or freeze your cows to death.Jeanne - Simme Valley":399fxbw9 said:Probably depends on location.
I feed my cows 1st cut baleage and free-choice loose mineral. Weaned heifers get 1st cut baleage and 5# whole shell corn + mineral until they are bred in the spring & when turned out on grass, they are cows and don't need supplements.
Yeah, I haven't checked for some time, but usually around 16% P. Our crappy July cut hay from last year was probably better than a lot of hay put up around the country. Cows lost condition, but survived & kept their pregnancy. We have rather "harsh" winters - a very "wet" cold.True Grit Farms":1nnpxlfm said:Three or four years ago we had a lot of hay just not quality, and a wet freezing cold winter at times. A lot of folks lost cows some lost a bunch by not knowing what kind of hay they were feeding. Most folks feed free choice hay and as long as it's 7-8% P and the tdn over 50 a cow can survive on hay only. If you add freezing rain and lower either the tdn or protein you'll either starve or freeze your cows to death.Jeanne - Simme Valley":1nnpxlfm said:Probably depends on location.
I feed my cows 1st cut baleage and free-choice loose mineral. Weaned heifers get 1st cut baleage and 5# whole shell corn + mineral until they are bred in the spring & when turned out on grass, they are cows and don't need supplements.
I think your hay is like rocket fuel compared to our hay.