how much hay per head

[rws]

Ive got 14 cows and a bull and say I feed 2 5ft round bales on monday and feed 2 more on thursday, I was wandering if this is about right or if to much, I thought about feeding 1 bale everyother day Ive been told to allways keep hay in front of them but it seems they allways have their head in the feeders eating constantly

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

That sounds like alot to me but there are alot of variables that will affect how much they eat. The size of the cows, the quality of the hay, how cold it is, the breed (type) of cows and how efficient they are all will affect how much they eat.

 

[buckaroo_bif]

wow! are they fatter than ticks yet? I guess yer talking about alfalfa hay?
that might be a little much if it is good alflafa in my behumbled opinion.
assuming they have nothing else for filler? prior to calving as in the last trimester i'm feeding 60 cows and three bulls one round bale per day rolled out with a deweze arm bed, that's more than 2% total body weight
bif

 

[rws]

the cattle will probably weigh 1100-1200lb the hay is orchard grass,timothy,redclover mixed

 

[rws]

sorry i didnt mention the cattle are angus and angus herford crossed

 

[buckaroo_bif]

we don't feed that kind of hay but i guess it might not be quite as rich as alflafa, still in my behumbled opinion 2% body weight oughta be plenty.

 

[rws]

considering I figured right that 2% would be about 360lb a day that should mean I could feed 1 round bale every other day for 15 1200lb cows

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

considering I figured right that 2% would be about 360lb a day that should mean I could feed 1 round bale every other day for 15 1200lb cows

Will depend also on how cold,other supplements,any green stuff available etc. :cboy:

 

[docgraybull]

considering I figured right that 2% would be about 360lb a day that should mean I could feed 1 round bale every other day for 15 1200lb cows

Which, according to your original post, is about what you're feeding. 2 bales twice per week (4 bales per 7 days) is not far from 1 bale every other day (4 bales per 8 days). I feed mostly mixed hay also, and use 30 pounds per head per day as a rough "guesstimate" as to how much hay I will need, to stock up for winter. Some days they eat more, some days, less, and 30# (on average) allows some for the difference in the size of the cows, differing metabolic needs to maintain proper condition, and for some (inevitable) wastage. One thing you might consider in the future is rolling bigger bales. We use wrapped 6 X 5 bales that weigh 1500-1700 pounds. Less trips in the cold on the cabless tractor! :lol:

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

First of all, it depends on the QUALITY of your hay. If it was put up real late, it could be poor quality. If put up on time, may be perfect. What I do, is put out hay like your doing. When the hay runs out, I try to let them "scroung" for about 1/2 a day cleaning up wasted hay. Than I feed them again. Now, this is on mature cows in good condition.
Second, you need to know the condition of your cows. If they are thin, they need more, if in good condition, you can do like I explained.
But, heifers & cows nursing cows, should not run out of feed.
It's all in the "eye of the beholder". Also, check manure. If its real thick - firm, the protein is probably low. The softer (looser) the manure - the higher the protein.
Also, just because 2 bales last 2 days this week, next week the weather may change & they will require more. You have to adjust with their needs. Of course, I have the luxury of taking care of our cows full time. I can adjust my time schedule to fit theirs. Not true in most cases.
The reason I let the mature cows run out, is simple economics - I save hay & money. I'm cheap! Just my thoughts.

 

[Jake]

If they are fairly well cleaning that all up then don't change the amount your feeding them because most likely they are eating what little bit extra they need. Like stated before your feeding them about the same as you would be feeding a bale every other day.

 

[sidney411]

For what is's worth, I am feeding 8 big round bales a week to 53 momma cows, 2 bulls, and 24 calves. Our pastures are pretty much all brown but they still make their rounds grazing during the day. I have planted some rye and oats that they get only on the weekend and then we move them off of those pastures for the week.

 

[CowCop]

I thought about feeding 1 bale everyother day

14 cows and 1 bull won't all get the hay they need--if you only put out one bale.

The dominant cows will get the hay and the others will get hardly anything. The low level cows will get beaten up alot more by the bossy cows.
There ijust sn't enough room for 10-15 bovines to line up and eat off just one bale.

2 bales is a bit better.

Here FOUR 600 lb bales are put out every other day-if its 10 degrees and up-- for 30 bred cows ( Heref/Angus ) just so they all have room to get in to the feed racks and get some. The rack can hold 10 bales, so the 4 bales are spread out a good distance from each other to cut down on squabbling, head butting and bossy cow fights. Don't want any late term abortions because the cows are slamming into each other because of skimpy hay rations~!!

When it dips below 10 degrees, more bales come out as the cows will eat alot more to maintain their body temperatures.

Jeanne's manure info is correct--its a good barometer to check the quality of the hay you are feeding, and no one does it better than the cows.


CowCop

 

[Subsoil]

These types of questions and the replys overlook the most important variable - what do the hay bales weigh. The only way to figure that out is to put at least four of the most average looking bales on a trailer and go somewhere with a truck scale and weigh, come back home and unload, and then go back and weigh your truck and trailer empty.

Even though two bales may have the same dimensions, they're weight can vary greatly depending on the baler that baled them, type of forage, moisture content, and where they're stored.

After you get a weight, go by your extension office and borrow a hay probe and take them a sample back so they can send it off to be tested. After you know the weight and the nutrition content of bales, then you can decide how much is enough and whether you need supplement or not.

Anything less than this is guessing on everyones part.

 

[TXBobcat]

I figure about 2.5 (1000 lb round bales) per mature cow/bull per season when buying hay. That would average out to about 20lbs day, per head, for the 120 days I plan on feeding hay (Nov 15 thru Mar 15). As far as dispersing the hay, I put out more when it's a colder, and a little less when it warms up. They are also supplimented with cake/cubes. I also believe the advice I read earlier about putting out multiple bales is good because it allows all the cows a chance to hang out and eat.

 

[J Baxter]

I feed my cows about 20lbs per day on average and 2-3 lbs of supplement. They all stay fat and happy.

JB

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

I figure 50 lbs per head per day for the season.That way I will have plenty in case I have to feed longer (drought,etc). If I have any left over,it gets fed first the next season. :cboy:

 

[docgraybull]

These types of questions and the replys overlook the most important variable - what do the hay bales weigh......
After you get a weight, go by your extension office and borrow a hay probe and take them a sample back so they can send it off to be tested. After you know the weight and the nutrition content of bales, then you can decide how much is enough and whether you need supplement or not.

Anything less than this is guessing on everyones part.

rws,
I encourage you to undertake this labor intensive task of hauling bales loaded on your flatbed trailer, followed by rehauling your empty trailer back, doing the subtracting and averaging, bale sampling, consulting with your extension agent, do some further complicated calculations, PM Subsoil and set up some ongoing dialogue regarding bale weight, TDN, protein/nutrition content, feeding methods, wastage, etc., then finalize your calculatory outcomes, then post back to this thread regarding how close to 30 pounds per head per day you come out. I know that I am anxiously awaiting a report of your outcomes.

 

[Wewild]

We feed what they eat....... and supply what they need. We'll feed between between 500 5X4 bails and 600 a year. I try to feed twice a week. Some pastures need more and others less. Depends on how well the cows are doing. We seem to always carry over hay except for back in 1993.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We feed what they eat....... and supply what they need. We'll feed between between 500 5X4 bails and 600 a year. I try to feed twice a week. Some pastures need more and others less. Depends on how well the cows are doing. We seem to always carry over hay except for back in 1993.

Yup - that about covers it. On a year to year basis, I generally use about the same amount of feed. Noone can REALLY tell anyone else how much hay to feed. Some people need reinforcement that they are doing it right. Like I said before - you need to watch the manure & body condition. That will tell you everything you need to know. "The eye of the Master".