I put up around 500 bales this year. 125 more than last year. I am soon to be out. I am feeding a horse quality hay. It is irrigated,fertilized, sprigged bermuda hay. I feel that the cows are eating more of it because it is like candy to them. I have feed hay in the past where they would eat a while, rest, eat a while until it is gone. The hay this year, they will eat it until it's gone. My cows have never looked better and they don't have free access to my supply, but they are feed every day. Have any of you experienced this. Every hay calculation is out the window for me the last 2 years. I am feeding 50 cows,pairs 35 yearling bulls and 40 open heifers. This calculates close to 5 bales per animal per year and that still won't get it for me this year. This is 1 reason I am going to downsize the mature size of cattle that I raise. I feel the bigger cattle look nice, but aren't feed efficient as a 1100 lb cow. A 1500+ lb cow requires to much input for not that much more performance.
hay quality and consumption
- Thread starter plbcattle
- Start date
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
plbcattle":235h5jlt said:
I don't know about your area but I have went through more hay than ever this year. I attribute the increase hay intake to the wet winter here. It has been raining almost everyday for the last two months averageing 35 to 40 degrees. Takes a lot of feed for a wet cow.
hayray
Well-known member
plbcattle":2kmnmnb7 said:
I notice a similar problem. I calculated hay requirements and noticed at ad lib hay consumption was pretty much way above what the requirement was. So this year I am feeding them much cheaper by forcing them to stick to requirements and if they have to go almost a half or 3/4s of a day with out hay so be it. I also bought oats real cheap and did some grain limit feeding which really cut down on hay. I also fed part of the herd small squares and that was really efficient because I could meater the hay a lot better than with rounds. Cows look great and I am going throuhg a lot less hay this year.
There is an excellent article in the ARA magazine this month concerning feed requirements due to weather conditions. I'll look around and see if I can find it on-line. It basically sows that a cows requirement for energy goes up 1% for each degree below 32 if they have dry hair and something like 2% for each degree below 58 for wet hair. I'm spouting that from memory, alwasy doubtful.
dun
dun
Not exactly the article I was referring to but it covers the need for more energy based on temp and wet or dry hair
http://www.noble.org/Ag/Livestock/ColdW ... /index.htm
dun
http://www.noble.org/Ag/Livestock/ColdW ... /index.htm
dun
Yes they will eat more good hay, but you don't have to supplement it like you do when you're feeding low quality hay, and you can ration it by making sure they run out each time.
I'm feeding 90 mommas with about 50 calves from newborns to 4 wts. Every 3 days they get about 9,000 lbs in 8 rolls consisting of 4 peanut and 4 good quality coastal rolls. They attack the peanut hay with a vengeance, then they eat the coastal. By the third day it's all cleaned up and they're roaming the woods looking for us to feed them again.
Making them run out of hay for a few hours is a form of rationing and it assures that they clean it up. I have no regrets about letting them go hungry for a few hours because they're plenty fat, plus they're always so happy to see us coming with the next 8 bales.
I'm feeding 90 mommas with about 50 calves from newborns to 4 wts. Every 3 days they get about 9,000 lbs in 8 rolls consisting of 4 peanut and 4 good quality coastal rolls. They attack the peanut hay with a vengeance, then they eat the coastal. By the third day it's all cleaned up and they're roaming the woods looking for us to feed them again.
Making them run out of hay for a few hours is a form of rationing and it assures that they clean it up. I have no regrets about letting them go hungry for a few hours because they're plenty fat, plus they're always so happy to see us coming with the next 8 bales.
![Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes, Clinically Proven, Fragrance Free, Unscented, Water Based, Hypoallergenic, Multi-Use, Hand Wipes 336 Wipes Total (6X Flip-Top Packs) [Packaging May Vary]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41KLBHu9CAL._SL500_.jpg)
plbcattle":xq8oz8ot said:
In all the post up to now I haven't seen (may have miissed it) how the hay is fed. Is it in hay rings,bale feeder wagons or what?
Back in the mid 80's I made a hay unroller. I feed daily. Know how much weight is in the bale and a idea of quality of the hay. Then feed the hay by weight per head. That cut hay consumption by about 1/3. Cows stay in good condition as well. I was the first in this area to unroll hay. Don't know of anyone that doesn't now. With all the dry years it caught on fast to make hay supplies last. Not all but many cows will stand and eat hay all day if it's there for them to eat.
Average winter weather here I feed 30- 35 pounds per head per day. If it's below 20 deg. I up that to 40-45 pounds. I have cows that would eat 50 pounds or more if it's in front of them.
I try and give them what they need instead of what they want.
mnmtranching
Well-known member
Seems to me when cows are on good hay, they will eat more. And be more wasteful.
jonbquick.com
Active member
gabby":3sv6eubt said:
Our hay, Tifton 85, averaged between 18% & 20% Protine last year. Our hay of choice is Tifton 85. Our Jiggs ran 16% to 17%. This year we are going to implement a different cutting schedule of 21 to 28 days instead of waiting until it was 24" tall. We are also going to test our soil every cutting as well as the hay. This will tell us what the hay is consuming, how much the hay is consuming and when it consumes it.
jonbquick.com
Active member
Tifton 85 Bermuda Grass
C. G. Chambliss and L. S. Dunavin
Tifton 85 Bermuda Grass is a hybrid Bermuda Grass developed by the USDA-ARS in cooperation with the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia. Released in 1992, it is a cross between a plant introduction from South Africa and Tifton 68, a highly digestible, but cold-susceptible hybrid. It is sterile and does not produce seed. Tifton 85 has larger stems, broader leaves and a darker green color than other Bermuda Grass hybrids. It has larger but fewer rhizomes (underground stems that can produce new plants) than Coastal or Tifton 44. Its stolons (above ground runners) are large and grow very rapidly.
At the Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton 85 produced 26% more forage that was 11% more digestible than Coastal Bermuda Grass. In other research in Georgia, Tifton 85 was compared to Tifton 78 in a three-year grazing study with steers grazed continuously from mid-April to mid-October. Results in Table 1 show an annual live weight gain of 1032 pounds per acre from Tifton 85 compared to 738 pounds per acre for Tifton 78. These results indicate the increased vigor and productivity of Tifton 85 over that of the older Bermuda Grasses. Observations in Florida indicate that Tifton 85 is well suited for use as a grazing and/or hay crop. Some hay producers have commented that because of the larger stems and higher yields, it takes longer to dry than Coastal. Initial observations indicate that it does have rapid stolon growth and may be easier to establish than Tifton 78, which has been somewhat variable in its ease of establishment. Observations to date indicate no disadvantages of Tifton 85 and indicate that it is well suited as a grazing and/or hay crop for Florida.
Table 1. Three-year average performance of steers grazing Tifton 78 or Tifton 85 pastures.
1Grass Average daily gain (lb/day) Carrying capacity (steer days/A) Total weight gain (lb/A)
Tifton 85 1.47 704 1032
Tifton 78 1.43 534 738
1Data from Hill, et al. Fertilized annually with 225 pounds of nitrogen in 3 split applications plus adequate P and K.
ESTABLISHMENT
Tifton 85 can be established by planting sprigs with mechanical planters or by broadcasting and disking in tops. Sprigs can be dug and planted starting in late winter, when the plants are still dormant, and through the spring and summer. Tops (green stems) can be harvested and planted in the summer. Plants should be fully mature (8 to 10 weeks old) before harvesting. Use conventional hay equipment for cutting and baling the tops. Adjust the baler to make small bales (60 - 70 pounds) that can be easily handled. Try to plant tops during rainy, cloudy weather. Dry soil and bright hot days may dry out the planting material, especially tops, resulting in a poor stand. Always plant in moist soil or irrigate if available.
Immediately after planting, the soil should be packed with a heavy culti-packer or land roller. Small plantings can be packed by driving a tractor back and forth over the planted area. For weed control recommendations at establishment, see SS-AGR-08 Weed Management in Pastures and Rangeland in the "Weeds in the Sunshine" series. Apply 30 pounds of nitrogen per acre, and phosphorus and potassium according to soil test recommendations as soon as the grass starts to emerge. Apply 70 pounds of nitrogen per acre plus 1/2 of the recommended potassium 30 days later or when runners start to form. With adequate and continuous soil moisture, complete coverage of Tifton 85 should occur in 90 days.
If the grass is planted early in the year, the first growth can be harvested for hay. Some fall growth should be accumulated to help protect stolons of the new planting from freezing. Although Tifton 85 has less cold tolerance than Tifton 44 or Coastal, this is not expected to be a problem in Florida and especially in peninsular Florida. When possible, all planting should be completed by the end of July. This will give the plants plenty of time to develop before winter. In peninsular Florida, Coastal and other Bermuda Grasses have been successfully established from late summer and fall plantings when soil moisture was adequate and a relatively mild winter followed. Some additional risk of stand failure may be involved with late plantings as compared to earlier plantings.
If there is a considerable amount of frosted grass in the spring following first year establishment, it may be desirable to remove it by harvesting or burning. Burn in early March or when the chance of a freeze has passed. Try to burn after a rain when the soil surface is moist and burn with the wind for a cooler fire. Do this to avoid fire damage to the stolons and plants that have developed from stolons. Soon after burning, apply 80 to 100 pounds of nitrogen along with recommended amounts of phosphorus and potassium.
Tifton 85 can be used for both grazing and hay production. Under grazing, add additional nitrogen during the growing season if additional production is needed. For hay production, apply 80 to 100 pounds of nitrogen plus recommended amounts of phosphorous and potassium for each hay harvest. Potassium should not be depleted to low levels since research has shown some stand loss for Bermuda Grass under low potassium levels.
In summary, Tifton 85 appears to be the highest yielding, most digestible Bermuda Grass available for use in Florida.
C. G. Chambliss and L. S. Dunavin
Tifton 85 Bermuda Grass is a hybrid Bermuda Grass developed by the USDA-ARS in cooperation with the University of Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, Georgia. Released in 1992, it is a cross between a plant introduction from South Africa and Tifton 68, a highly digestible, but cold-susceptible hybrid. It is sterile and does not produce seed. Tifton 85 has larger stems, broader leaves and a darker green color than other Bermuda Grass hybrids. It has larger but fewer rhizomes (underground stems that can produce new plants) than Coastal or Tifton 44. Its stolons (above ground runners) are large and grow very rapidly.
At the Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton 85 produced 26% more forage that was 11% more digestible than Coastal Bermuda Grass. In other research in Georgia, Tifton 85 was compared to Tifton 78 in a three-year grazing study with steers grazed continuously from mid-April to mid-October. Results in Table 1 show an annual live weight gain of 1032 pounds per acre from Tifton 85 compared to 738 pounds per acre for Tifton 78. These results indicate the increased vigor and productivity of Tifton 85 over that of the older Bermuda Grasses. Observations in Florida indicate that Tifton 85 is well suited for use as a grazing and/or hay crop. Some hay producers have commented that because of the larger stems and higher yields, it takes longer to dry than Coastal. Initial observations indicate that it does have rapid stolon growth and may be easier to establish than Tifton 78, which has been somewhat variable in its ease of establishment. Observations to date indicate no disadvantages of Tifton 85 and indicate that it is well suited as a grazing and/or hay crop for Florida.
Table 1. Three-year average performance of steers grazing Tifton 78 or Tifton 85 pastures.
1Grass Average daily gain (lb/day) Carrying capacity (steer days/A) Total weight gain (lb/A)
Tifton 85 1.47 704 1032
Tifton 78 1.43 534 738
1Data from Hill, et al. Fertilized annually with 225 pounds of nitrogen in 3 split applications plus adequate P and K.
ESTABLISHMENT
Tifton 85 can be established by planting sprigs with mechanical planters or by broadcasting and disking in tops. Sprigs can be dug and planted starting in late winter, when the plants are still dormant, and through the spring and summer. Tops (green stems) can be harvested and planted in the summer. Plants should be fully mature (8 to 10 weeks old) before harvesting. Use conventional hay equipment for cutting and baling the tops. Adjust the baler to make small bales (60 - 70 pounds) that can be easily handled. Try to plant tops during rainy, cloudy weather. Dry soil and bright hot days may dry out the planting material, especially tops, resulting in a poor stand. Always plant in moist soil or irrigate if available.
Immediately after planting, the soil should be packed with a heavy culti-packer or land roller. Small plantings can be packed by driving a tractor back and forth over the planted area. For weed control recommendations at establishment, see SS-AGR-08 Weed Management in Pastures and Rangeland in the "Weeds in the Sunshine" series. Apply 30 pounds of nitrogen per acre, and phosphorus and potassium according to soil test recommendations as soon as the grass starts to emerge. Apply 70 pounds of nitrogen per acre plus 1/2 of the recommended potassium 30 days later or when runners start to form. With adequate and continuous soil moisture, complete coverage of Tifton 85 should occur in 90 days.
If the grass is planted early in the year, the first growth can be harvested for hay. Some fall growth should be accumulated to help protect stolons of the new planting from freezing. Although Tifton 85 has less cold tolerance than Tifton 44 or Coastal, this is not expected to be a problem in Florida and especially in peninsular Florida. When possible, all planting should be completed by the end of July. This will give the plants plenty of time to develop before winter. In peninsular Florida, Coastal and other Bermuda Grasses have been successfully established from late summer and fall plantings when soil moisture was adequate and a relatively mild winter followed. Some additional risk of stand failure may be involved with late plantings as compared to earlier plantings.
If there is a considerable amount of frosted grass in the spring following first year establishment, it may be desirable to remove it by harvesting or burning. Burn in early March or when the chance of a freeze has passed. Try to burn after a rain when the soil surface is moist and burn with the wind for a cooler fire. Do this to avoid fire damage to the stolons and plants that have developed from stolons. Soon after burning, apply 80 to 100 pounds of nitrogen along with recommended amounts of phosphorus and potassium.
Tifton 85 can be used for both grazing and hay production. Under grazing, add additional nitrogen during the growing season if additional production is needed. For hay production, apply 80 to 100 pounds of nitrogen plus recommended amounts of phosphorous and potassium for each hay harvest. Potassium should not be depleted to low levels since research has shown some stand loss for Bermuda Grass under low potassium levels.
In summary, Tifton 85 appears to be the highest yielding, most digestible Bermuda Grass available for use in Florida.
BC
Well-known member
plbcattle":3gqjtj12 said:
The difference between what a 1500 lb cow will eat and 1100 lb cow will be about 9 lbs of hay per day figuring 2.25% of body weight. With 50 cows that is 450 lbs per day more (1/2 of the average round bale in my area).
Dave
Well-known member
A few days difference in harvesting hay can make a fairly big difference in the fiber content. Hay with a higher NDF will move slower through the cows system causing them to feel full and consume less hay. As an example on the extreme differences I compared the NDF number for alfalfa and wheat straw. Good alfalfa hay will have a NDF in the 30's whereas wheat straw will be over 70. The alfalfa will go right through. The straw will fill them up. They will always eat more pounds of alfalfa if they can because they don't stay filled up.
