how much supplement does it take

[johndeerefan]

we feed our cows about 2 pounds of a 10-12 percent protein grain mix from the local feed mill. i have had a few people tell me that i am waisting my money only giving them 2 pounds that it takes more grain than that to stimulate the organisms in the gut to digest and actually utilize the supplement and do the cows any good. we also feed some weaned calves twice a day and give them a pound at each feeding. we do this because they are in with the butchering heifer and she eats better if fed twice a day and we give the calves some to get them to come up and leave the heifer alone. am i waisting my time and money feeding this small amount of grain everyday. if so what is the recomended amount to feed so they actually utilize what you give them. thanks

 

[Isomade]

It all depends on the quality of your hay. A suppliment is just that, a suppliment, ment to fill in where your hay or forage is lacking. Go to the beginners board. There is a thread on the topic now titled "to feed or not". The only way to know if what you are feeding is needed you should test the hay. With a hay test I can tell you exactly how much to feed or if you even need it. The notion that 2 pounds of a 12% suppliment is a waste is hogwash. Just need a test to make sure if it's needed or if more is needed.

 

[1982vett]

Takes none for me.....

 

[snake67]

Takes none for me.....

Or me for that matter - too much money! LOL

Mine are getting by on about ..... oh maybe 15 - 20 pounds of hay (maybe a bit more but not much), salt, mineral and 10 pounds of corn and sleeping in about two feet of snow in the bush and so far not doing all that badly. Although it is blowing hard and drifting good tonight so I will check them early in the morning.

My free hay ran out this week and now they are eating mine - so bale grazing is over for this year - the drought really hurt us here and I do not have a whole heck of a lot of hay left at present - fortunately I have a fair amount of corn to give them.

Calving on that same snow in about five weeks.

Cheers

Bez

 

[Lucky_P]

Nice little cow wintering ration calculator here at the UofMN site: http://www.extension.umn.edu/beef/compo ... rition.htm
Allows you to figure what they need, and lets you input size of cow, stage of production, BCS, different feed components and prices - allowing you to put together a best-cost ration/feeding program.
Handy-dandy little spreadsheet. Check it out.

 

[Sir Loin]

JD,
Where are you located?
Northern hemisphere or Southern hemisphere?
SL

 

[TexasBred]

we feed our cows about 2 pounds of a 10-12 percent protein grain mix from the local feed mill. i have had a few people tell me that i am waisting my money only giving them 2 pounds that it takes more grain than that to stimulate the organisms in the gut to digest and actually utilize the supplement and do the cows any good. we also feed some weaned calves twice a day and give them a pound at each feeding. we do this because they are in with the butchering heifer and she eats better if fed twice a day and we give the calves some to get them to come up and leave the heifer alone. am i waisting my time and money feeding this small amount of grain everyday. if so what is the recomended amount to feed so they actually utilize what you give them. thanks

You may or may not be wasting time and money but if you enjoy it keep doing it. A good hay test would tell you if it was necessary. BTW they are using the grain so it's not being wasted.