How well do cows like hay?

[stocky]

The appetite that cattle have for hay is directly opposite of how much you want them to eat it. Put hay out to them free for them to eat, and they will, if they have to. Put a fence around it and try to keep them out, and they will break in to get to it, every time, no matter what time of year it is or what quality of hay it is.

 

[TexasBred]

I'm not going to starve them, just wanted to see what they would do. Makes me feel a little better that they will at least hustle a bit.

Oh they'll always go for the green stuff. It taste good. Just doesn't have a lot of nutritional value and it's about 85% or more moisture.

Stockpiled fescue isn;t much different then fescue hay. Possibly lower in endophyte then the hay is.

Wish our coastal bermuda was that good. If there is any stockpiled it is little more than filler.

 

[Newberry Creek]

Down here in South Georgia we have lots of peanut hay. The cows love it. It doesn't hold up as well as grass hay so I try to feed my peanut hay first. The cows will not eat the grass hay for several days when I start putting it out. They will also come off of my winter grazing (oats and rye grass) to eat the peanut hay.

 

[Caustic Burno]

The appetite that cattle have for hay is directly opposite of how much you want them to eat it. Put hay out to them free for them to eat, and they will, if they have to. Put a fence around it and try to keep them out, and they will break in to get to it, every time, no matter what time of year it is or what quality of hay it is.

This is very true what they don't eat and tear up they shyt on.

 

[slick4591]

Wish our coastal bermuda was that good. If there is any stockpiled it is little more than filler.

Mine is the last thing they'll go for. Even some weeds get eaten before the coastal.

 

[TexasBred]

Wish our coastal bermuda was that good. If there is any stockpiled it is little more than filler.

Mine is the last thing they'll go for. Even some weeds get eaten before the coastal.

Slick I've actually put out baled milo stalks and coastal hay at the same time....they alway eat the milo stalks first and if tested the milo stalks often will test better than the coastal.

 

[slick4591]

I have a pretty good stand of coastal around the barn and it's the last thing to turn brown during the dry times. If there's anything else in the pasture they'll eat that first and leave the coastal. I don't even bother buying the hay.