Hay issues

[herofan]

Ok, perhaps I'm just asking the same thing I asked in the thread, new hay more filling," but being a semi-newbie, I'm puzzled.

The cows were eating my older hay rolls like candy. Those rolls run out, and I start putting out last year's hay rolls, and their consumption has slowed down drastically. the hay came from the same field, and no major differences that I know. It appears they eat some rolls more quickly than others; however, one roll has been out probably two weeks, and they have basically roughed it up a little and eat a little out of the center.

I understand there is good hay and bad hay, but I don't see what could make such a difference. Like someone wrote in the other thread, "I never saw anything cows wouldn't eat when it was cold." That's what puzzles me.

I recall from last year that they seemed to consume more hay near the end of winter. I assumed it was because the pasture had finally been grazed out and they were no longer getting anything there. Currently, they appear to be going through the motions of grazing, as they have all winter, although I don't see anything to be grazed. We've had a cold winter and the field looks like a dry straw.

So far, I haven't seen any visual differences in the cows or calves; they aren't turning to skeletons and they don't act weak. They also don't come running as if they are starving when i enter the field.

So, I guess my questions are:

What could be so drastically different, and is this anything to worry about as far as the health of my herd goes, or will the cows take care of themselves and eat when they need to?

Surely they won't allow themselves to go hungry just because the hay may be a little different will they?

 

[Jogeephus]

I don't know if this applies in your situation or not but I raise my own hay and I keep the hay separated by quality and its fed based on what they need. At the moment they are all nursing so I am putting out higher quality hay but the consumption has dropped even though I know they are being given the best hay. And like you say, they are going through the motions of grazing even though the fields look dead. But if you look closely, in my fields, I have areas with clover and native perennial ryegrass that is growing beneath the "dead grass". They have to work for it but you can clearly see they are eating this and I can watch where the cattle spend time grazing and these areas have the poorest uniformity in what some would call "good pasture" because there are a lot of native grasses. But its these grasses they are after even though it don't look like they could do much to feed a cow but from the looks of the cows and how they are slicking up I am convinced the nutritional content of this is incredible even though there isn't much to it from a volume standpoint. So what mine seem to be doing is eating these highly nutritious grasses and legumes and then getting their "fill" on the hay. This is pretty evident too because I went from feeding four rolls per day to four rolls every three days and they are slicking up.

Here is a chart on the protein content and digestibility in relation to age of the forage. With this you can see that if in fact they are getting the goody out of some overlooked forage you have in the pasture you can see that what they are getting is very nutritious. Of course, since there is so little of this, you should expect this to be depleted in time and they will fall back on hay and you hay use will again increase.

 

[dun]

I think it all boils down, they're cows. We have 2 identical feeders when I put out 2 bales from the same cutting and stored touching each other, they will empty one feeder to the dirt before they really start eating on the other one at all. COWS, you gotta love em

 

[Bigfoot]

We're close to the same area. My hay consumption is down about 30%. We certainly haven't had a greenup by any stretch of the imagination, but some greening is going on. My cows have been out picking a little more, instead of just having their head stuffed in a hay ring. Maybe yours are doing the same.

 

[fitz]

Some of it may be at what stage the hay was havested.
Dodging the wet weather here on the first cutting mine may get a little rank. As in over ripe, heavy stems. Mine will bypass one of those if there is anything else put out.
I saved some second cutting grass for the end of the hay feeding season when mine start getting real picky. They'll always inhale that.

fitz

 

[snake67]

Ok, perhaps I'm just asking the same thing I asked in the thread, new hay more filling," but being a semi-newbie, I'm puzzled.

The cows were eating my older hay rolls like candy. Those rolls run out, and I start putting out last year's hay rolls, and their consumption has slowed down drastically. the hay came from the same field, and no major differences that I know. It appears they eat some rolls more quickly than others; however, one roll has been out probably two weeks, and they have basically roughed it up a little and eat a little out of the center.

I understand there is good hay and bad hay, but I don't see what could make such a difference. Like someone wrote in the other thread, "I never saw anything cows wouldn't eat when it was cold." That's what puzzles me.

I recall from last year that they seemed to consume more hay near the end of winter. I assumed it was because the pasture had finally been grazed out and they were no longer getting anything there. Currently, they appear to be going through the motions of grazing, as they have all winter, although I don't see anything to be grazed. We've had a cold winter and the field looks like a dry straw.

So far, I haven't seen any visual differences in the cows or calves; they aren't turning to skeletons and they don't act weak. They also don't come running as if they are starving when i enter the field.

So, I guess my questions are:

What could be so drastically different, and is this anything to worry about as far as the health of my herd goes, or will the cows take care of themselves and eat when they need to?

Surely they won't allow themselves to go hungry just because the hay may be a little different will they?

Sometimes folks worry about things they have no reason to worry about. As long as you have decent hay out there - they will make their own decisions and be happy for it.

Some info from this place that might be applicable.

Cows actually do like older hay if it has been put up properly.

I can take a 5 year old bale of hay - put up and stored right - and put it in the field beside a brand new bale of second cut and they very often will go for the old hay first. Why? Who cares - if they like it let them eat it. Not going to hurt them.

Another tidbit.

If you have some old oat straw bales - I never could understand why people call it oat hay after all it IS straw - even if harvested with the oats still on them but I suppose that is another story - save that stuff outside - in the back along the fence for about three to five years - then feed it out.

On this place they will tear into it big time.

The old girls broke into a spot where I dump the bales I plan on never using a few weeks back - they ate the oldest bales in there - go figure.

So - as long as the cows have mineral, water and feed - I never worrry about it - neither should you - as long as they are healthy and happy and eating - relax.

I equate it to human taste. If I served you plain mashed potatoes every day of the year with no condiments and that was about all I fed you - you would probably jump right up and eat a full plate of carrots if I set them in front of you.

Best to all

Bez

 

[herofan]

What I get from the responses is that there could be several reasons for what I see, but there is really no need to worry; they will decide what they should do and do it.

So, if they once were eating 7 rolls a week and are now eating 2 rolls a week, I'll just assume they are ok and glad I won't be running out of hay this winter.

 

[TexasBred]

If you have some old oat straw bales - I never could understand why people call it oat hay after all it IS straw - even if harvested with the oats still on them but I suppose that is another story - save that stuff outside - in the back along the fence for about three to five years - then feed it out.

Can't speak for oats hay/straw in Ontario but down this way oat hay is often cut and fed to lactating dairy cattle. If done right and cut at the right time it can be very high in protein and highly digestible plus the added energy of the oats. Cattle love it. Now let it stand in the field til it turns brown and you have straw.

 

[bigbull338]

as some hay ages the taste gets better to the cows.ive seen our cows an others cows eat hay thats 3 or 4yrs old an looks like junk down to the ground.because it has something in it that they are craving.have a neighbor thats feeding some hay thats been in the barn for almost 10yrs.

 

[aprille218]

Older hay can have increased digestibility due to the lignans in the plant having more time to break down.

 

[TexasBred]

Older hay can have increased digestibility due to the lignans in the plant having more time to break down.

Lignin is almost totally undigestible at any age. :!: