Like it was January
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Supa Dexta
Well-known member
sstterry":2lb0e6pv said:
Welcome to most of Canada. Seems to me the question should be why do the southerner's find it so tough to make money when only feeding hay a few days a year?
farmerjan
Well-known member
My son and I were talking this morning about strategy for shipping some steers. And the pound/cull cow markets. He told me he had talked to a buddy of his last night, and they said they are nearly out of hay and their cows are eating like it was middle of the winter, too. We are feeding alot of hay, the cows were trying to pick at some little green but then we got snow two weeks in a row and temps at night in the low to mid 20's. This morning it was down to 27; yesterday 25. The sun has already got it thawing and slick on top of the ground from the snow melt from last Wed.
Luckily we dodged the snow last night as it stayed south. Blacksburg, Wytheville and areas near there got up to 18 inches. Martinsburg Va race postponed til Monday at least. Pretty weird to see snowplows on the raceway!!!!
We are very fortunate to have plenty of hay even though we are feeding more than normal. We also went and got about 50 rolls that a neighbor wanted to get out of his hayfield and he said he would never get it fed. So we have been hauling that home and feeding it out. We have also been sacrificing some 2 yr old hay and rolling it out for the cows that are calving to try to get the little calves out of this muddy mess. The hay has some waste but the center of the rolls are nice so they are getting a place to lay and some good hay too. It will add organic matter back into the soil so is not a loss.
This has been really tough on the calves being born. Temps are supposed to get up near our normal of 60 daytime temps by the end of the week. Found 2 dead calves after the snow and don't know if they were born dead or if the cold WET was the reason. It has not been a very good calving season so far. They can take the cold but this cold soaking wet snow and rain is just hard on everything. Have had 2 other guys here in the last week talk about how bad a spring it is for them with calving. One guy that works with my son said he last 2 cows in one week.
Will be glad to see some warmer weather. We won't have much for pasture for the cows to go out on until late April at the earliest, but just to have it warm up a bit and be sunny and feel some positive feelings, instead of the wet, damp, dark depressing weather we have had. There is rain in the forecast this week but temps are supposed to be warmer by then. HERE'S HOPING.....
Luckily we dodged the snow last night as it stayed south. Blacksburg, Wytheville and areas near there got up to 18 inches. Martinsburg Va race postponed til Monday at least. Pretty weird to see snowplows on the raceway!!!!
We are very fortunate to have plenty of hay even though we are feeding more than normal. We also went and got about 50 rolls that a neighbor wanted to get out of his hayfield and he said he would never get it fed. So we have been hauling that home and feeding it out. We have also been sacrificing some 2 yr old hay and rolling it out for the cows that are calving to try to get the little calves out of this muddy mess. The hay has some waste but the center of the rolls are nice so they are getting a place to lay and some good hay too. It will add organic matter back into the soil so is not a loss.
This has been really tough on the calves being born. Temps are supposed to get up near our normal of 60 daytime temps by the end of the week. Found 2 dead calves after the snow and don't know if they were born dead or if the cold WET was the reason. It has not been a very good calving season so far. They can take the cold but this cold soaking wet snow and rain is just hard on everything. Have had 2 other guys here in the last week talk about how bad a spring it is for them with calving. One guy that works with my son said he last 2 cows in one week.
Will be glad to see some warmer weather. We won't have much for pasture for the cows to go out on until late April at the earliest, but just to have it warm up a bit and be sunny and feel some positive feelings, instead of the wet, damp, dark depressing weather we have had. There is rain in the forecast this week but temps are supposed to be warmer by then. HERE'S HOPING.....
farmerjan
Well-known member
Supa Dexta":3kznm7sp said:
Part of it is that further south, there is so much LESS grass and moisture for grass. We face high land costs and input costs here in Va., and trucking for the calves going to market cuts the calf prices. But we can run more cattle per acre than further south. I think that many places are looking at 1 pair per 5-20 acres maybe? We try to shoot for 1 pair per 1 1/2 acres if we get decent moisture and can rotational graze. The guys further south would have to answer you better. We feed hay for at least 4 months here at most places but we do stockpile some grass at 2 places and can get a couple extra months grazing there if it was a good summer and fall for growth.
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
sstterry":djaqhvlp said:
Cheap land, cheap hay, over abundance of summer grass, little worries about drought, etc.
kentuckyguy
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We ran out of hay and had to start buying a month ago. We went into winter with about 20 more rolls than we generally need.
It's sure been a muddy cold winter. Hoping the pasture starts to jump soon and then we can reseed the feeding area in the pasture. We have about 2 acres of mud from foot traffic.
It's sure been a muddy cold winter. Hoping the pasture starts to jump soon and then we can reseed the feeding area in the pasture. We have about 2 acres of mud from foot traffic.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Actually here we usually feed hay 4 months out of the year.Supa Dexta":3ru01cfx said:
JW IN VA
Well-known member
Average full feeding about four to four and a half months here.Some lighter feeding on both ends.Some years,you need to figure five months.Last year,we had an early warmup so feed cut back by now.This year will be longer.Still have plenty in the barns,so far.
littletom
Well-known member
I was on pace for record year for least total and per head. Still might beat it but it is sure dragging out. Really started week of Christamas.
ClinchValley
Well-known member
And where do you live ddd?
ClinchValley":2e9n97fm said:
Not much clover here and the soil is not the best. I just took over after my father died last June. I am going to have to do things in sections for now. I just can't justify spraying, liming and fertilizing all of the fields at once.
My plan is to spray what I can this spring and frost seed clover in the fall. I do have another pasture field I can rotate too, but I am wanting to give it time to grow.
kentuckyguy":tbfeabud said:
I hear that! I just bought a material spreader for my UTV to start reseeding. Still too wet to drive a heavy tractor in those areas.
ClinchValley
Well-known member
I hear ya Buddy
We are blowing through it here in SW Oklahoma as well. I'll be out by the end of the week. I'm hearing everyone around here has fed more than normal. If we don't get rain here this week, it may be time to cull a few.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
The slop froze up last night!!! Lows for the next four days is forecasted from 9 to 12 degrees. A great time to go ice fishing.
chevytaHOE5674
Well-known member
Been in the teens just about every night UP here and now calling for 6-10 inches of snow over the next 2 days.... got enough hay to last thru til July or August if need be. Hahaha
