How much hay?

[kjones]

I have read on a few posts in these boards that horses use about three times as much hay as cows. So my question is how much hay do you feed a cow vs a horse? For this lets assume we are feeding only a grass hay, and not worry about supplements, as I realize they would be on different ones.

 

[bigbull338]

I have read on a few posts in these boards that horses use about three times as much hay as cows. So my question is how much hay do you feed a cow vs a horse? For this lets assume we are feeding only a grass hay, and not worry about supplements, as I realize they would be on different ones.

well a cow will eat 20lbs of hay more or less a day.an a horse will eat 30 or 40lbs of hay a day.so in most cases a horse eats what 2 cows would eat in a day.

 

[gabby]

I have read on a few posts in these boards that horses use about three times as much hay as cows. So my question is how much hay do you feed a cow vs a horse? For this lets assume we are feeding only a grass hay, and not worry about supplements, as I realize they would be on different ones.

well a cow will eat 20lbs of hay more or less a day.an a horse will eat 30 or 40lbs of hay a day.so in most cases a horse eats what 2 cows would eat in a day.

I wish my cows would only eat 20 pounds a day. My horses weigh 1500 lbs and they eat at least 40 pounds a day. My cows eat about the same.

 

[Jogeephus]

At the moment, we are still in a drought and all my cows are in the hay lot eating free choice hay and have not lost any body condition. Grazing is nonexestent in this area. Depending on temperature, mine are eating anywhere from 49 to 65 pounds per day - assuming a 900 lb bale. This includes the waste. This works out to 1 roll per 18 head per day on warm days and 1 roll per 14 cows on a cold day. If we'd get some rain and ryegrass would get in gear, this will drop to 1 roll per 28 cows per day.

So Gabby, I guess you are on the money. I first thought they were just after the goobers. :lol:

 

[randiliana]

Our cows are getting 33 lbs per day. 2 1000 lb hay bales, a 1500 lb rye and a 1500 lb barley bale. So 5000 lbs for 150 head of cows. The horses are getting 3 50-60 lb square hay bales between 6 of them so that works out to about 30 lbs per horse. Neither the cows or horses are getting any grain. So there goes the theory that the horses need twice as much feed as the cows do!! And, they are all in pretty darn good shape.

 

[Caustic Burno]

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare ... 010web.pdf

You can satisfy a cow's nutriet needs on 3 pounds a day now you need 27 pounds to fill her up.

 

[Gate Opener]

I think that if you put a round bale out for the horses and one for the cows (same # of head) the horses will eat much more than the cows. That has been our experience. A horse doesn't need more than a cow but they will sure eat it.

I have learned to turn the horses into the area where the round bale is for a couple of hours in the morning and again at night.

 

[LFF]

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1924/F-3010web.pdf

You can satisfy a cow's nutriet needs on 3 pounds a day now you need 27 pounds to fill her up.

Unless I read the document wrong , 3 pounds is not enough unless they are grazing winter pastures.

 

[Caustic Burno]

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1924/F-3010web.pdf

You can satisfy a cow's nutriet needs on 3 pounds a day now you need 27 pounds to fill her up.

Unless I read the document wrong , 3 pounds is not enough unless they are grazing winter pastures.

Was always the estimate on what a cow needed.

 

[LFF]

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1924/F-3010web.pdf

You can satisfy a cow's nutriet needs on 3 pounds a day now you need 27 pounds to fill her up.

Unless I read the document wrong , 3 pounds is not enough unless they are grazing winter pastures.

Was always the estimate on what a cow needed.

What about table 2 ?
It says that a dry cow needs 12 pounds of TDN per day from winter forage and 1.80 pounds of crude protein. The winter grazing (assuming you have any remaining grass) supplies 10.8 lbs of TND and .88 pounds of Crude protein. That they say will not be enough and therefore she needs 3 pounds (depends on type) of good supplement to maintain body condition.

You supply the cow with the amount of winter grazing that they use in their study and I'll agree with you about the "3 lbs." , but only as a supplement.

If you are trying to tell us that 3 pounds of hay per day is all a cow needs and nothing else to eat, I'd like to see if you have any cow alive after winter is over.

The key is if they have anything to graze.

 

[BH]

If you are trying to tell us that 3 pounds of hay per day is all a cow needs and nothing else to eat, I'd like to see if you have any cow alive after winter is over

Thats not what he meant. Caustic meant that a cow needs 30 lbs total. 3 of those pounds contain all of the nutrients a cow needs. the other 27 fill the cow up (sort of as a filler)

At least thats how I read it.

 

[LFF]

If you are trying to tell us that 3 pounds of hay per day is all a cow needs and nothing else to eat, I'd like to see if you have any cow alive after winter is over

Thats not what he meant. Caustic meant that a cow needs 30 lbs total. 3 of those pounds contain all of the nutrients a cow needs. the other 27 fill the cow up (sort of as a filler)

At least thats how I read it.

If that is how it was meant , then I too will agree with Caustic. Probally was and I misunderstood. I failed to catch the meaning of the 27 lbs. of filler.