maintaining a frame score

[ALACOWMAN]

of 6, in the dead of winter with calves at side :cowboy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HzN_2bl ... creen&NR=1

 

[Dave]

I believe he wanted to say Body Condition Score (BCS). One would hope that they held there frame score through the winter. If not it was one tough winter.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I believe he wanted to say Body Condition Score (BCS). One would hope that they held there frame score through the winter. If not it was one tough winter.

i believe he did to,, only he didnt.... how did that little ditty, slip past the University extention... office :cowboy:

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I believe he wanted to say Body Condition Score (BCS). One would hope that they held there frame score through the winter. If not it was one tough winter.

Must have a diet with low calcium. ;-)

 

[Chuckie]

His cattle did look pretty good for the middle of winter you must admit for commercial cows. I see so many farmers feeding low quality hay to cows just filling their stomachs with low protein, seed head/straw fescue/over aged grass hay. He has been taking care of his cattle with good hay apparently.

Notice, that he has not over grazed his pasture, there is good height on the grass. He probably rotates them which makes a big difference. I do not see piles of dung standing.

His cows came into the winter in good shape by not being in over grazed pastures. See the grass height?

On feeding hay to keep your cows in score condition 6......

Farmers around here will not cut hay until it gets up to the top of the back tractor wheels. Takes less feed if you must supplement them if you cut it before it seeds. It must be all about quantity. You can only get a couple of cuttings when you go for seed heads. Some think that the seed gives more protein to cattle to feed over the winter, but once the grass goes into seed production, it pulls all the protein from the grass. The seed shatters once it dries. Fungus on fescue is the highest in the seed head, but I am not sure if it remains in the seed head once it dries. Cattle will lose weight if this is their only source of food through the winter.

I would not fertilize a field to let it go to seed after going to the expense to raise the protein, then letting the seed pull it back down again. So you can imagine how low the protein would be in this hay. The cattle have had to maintain life support by wasting away. Their body pulls from every fat deposit first, then pulls from muscles. Thus, hip bones, ribs, shoulder blades, .....wasting away.


I was talking to a man this fall that was bragging on getting 36 rolls of bermuda grass hay off of 11 acres last summer. At the same time, I have 10 acres of Vaughn bermuda grass hay that I did get 120 rolls from, as it was fertilized before it was cut, then hitting it again with more nitrogen between each cutting. I would say that he didn't fertilize his 10 ac/36 rolls.

I keep my older cattle that produce good calves, and lack of feed could put them to an early death in the winter time. They cannot handle the starvation diet like a younger ones. They must have a protein level to maintain their body weight. When someone says to to get rid of a cow when she is younger than 10, and I see their cows going through the starvation process each winter. That is why they lose good cattle. We have had some cows up to 15 years old still having calves. A really good cow, producing a really good calf is hard to come by. My oldest cow, at my house is 10, and she will remain here until she can no longer calve. He produces a good calf each year and pays her way.

So, this gentleman has been taking care of his cattle and appears to be doing something right. Glad to see that he went to his Ag agent to do it right. So many farmers around here just do it the way they have always done it before. :tiphat:
Chuckie

 

[ALACOWMAN]

His cattle did look pretty good for the middle of winter you must admit for commercial cows. I see so many farmers feeding low quality hay to cows just filling their stomachs with low protein, seed head/straw fescue/over aged grass hay. He has been taking care of his cattle with good hay apparently.

Notice, that he has not over grazed his pasture, there is good height on the grass. He probably rotates them which makes a big difference. I do not see piles of dung standing.

His cows came into the winter in good shape by not being in over grazed pastures. See the grass height?

On feeding hay to keep your cows in score condition 6......

Farmers around here will not cut hay until it gets up to the top of the back tractor wheels. Takes less feed if you must supplement them if you cut it before it seeds. It must be all about quantity. You can only get a couple of cuttings when you go for seed heads. Some think that the seed gives more protein to cattle to feed over the winter, but once the grass goes into seed production, it pulls all the protein from the grass. The seed shatters once it dries. Fungus on fescue is the highest in the seed head, but I am not sure if it remains in the seed head once it dries. Cattle will lose weight if this is their only source of food through the winter.

I would not fertilize a field to let it go to seed after going to the expense to raise the protein, then letting the seed pull it back down again. So you can imagine how low the protein would be in this hay. The cattle have had to maintain life support by wasting away. Their body pulls from every fat deposit first, then pulls from muscles. Thus, hip bones, ribs, shoulder blades, .....wasting away.


I was talking to a man this fall that was bragging on getting 36 rolls of bermuda grass hay off of 11 acres last summer. At the same time, I have 10 acres of Vaughn bermuda grass hay that I did get 120 rolls from, as it was fertilized before it was cut, then hitting it again with more nitrogen between each cutting. I would say that he didn't fertilize his 10 ac/36 rolls.

I keep my older cattle that produce good calves, and lack of feed could put them to an early death in the winter time. They cannot handle the starvation diet like a younger ones. They must have a protein level to maintain their body weight. When someone says to to get rid of a cow when she is younger than 10, and I see their cows going through the starvation process each winter. That is why they lose good cattle. We have had some cows up to 15 years old still having calves. A really good cow, producing a really good calf is hard to come by. My oldest cow, at my house is 10, and she will remain here until she can no longer calve. He produces a good calf each year and pays her way.

So, this gentleman has been taking care of his cattle and appears to be doing something right. Glad to see that he went to his Ag agent to do it right. So many farmers around here just do it the way they have always done it before. :tiphat:
Chuckie

im glad to see him in,, and interested in the business...

 

[Chuckie]

Alacowman,
I didn't direct that at you, :lol2: It was just a general summary of what I see in people's cattle when they don't go get help. Just seeing that clip brought up conversations I have had with some of the cattle people around here.

I am sure everyone learns something here; as I have learned a lot.

You being the fun loving sorta fella, just doing yo thang! :banana:
Chuckie