March slump

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kickinbull

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We've raised cattle in Ky for 18 years. It seems that the month of March takes the biggest toll on the animals. Even this year when we haven't had cold rain like usual. With getting scientific what would you guess is the weak link in their diet?
 
kickinbull":oryq75gl said:
We've raised cattle in Ky for 18 years. It seems that the month of March takes the biggest toll on the animals. Even this year when we haven't had cold rain like usual. With getting scientific what would you guess is the weak link in their diet?
Are you saying the cattle just don't look good? Not gaining weight??
 
TexasBred":7uahjc19 said:
Are you saying the cattle just don't look good? Not gaining weight??
They look bad and lose weight. See a lot of dead cattle even where they feed very well.
 
using good mineral?

mine look fine.. even though a new heifer wouldn't raise her calf yesterday and lost it in the woods!!!!!
 
I agree. I think it is a function that fall calves are finally getting to the point that they are taking a toll on the cows.

Bigfoot posted something the other day that I endorse. He said beginning in February it pays to start supplementing the hay with feed. There is a possible answer.
 
ddd75":1p0pk1ld said:
using good mineral?

mine look fine.. even though a new heifer wouldn't raise her calf yesterday and lost it in the woods!!!!!

I agree with the good mineral and my cows look good but like Bigfoot, I started putting out feed each morning to the cows with those 500 and 600 pound calves pulling HeII out of them.
 
Mine usually look bad the first of February. But they are sticking off and gaining weight. I know everyone says the new grass is all water but it must be better than my hay .. cows stopped eating hay the first week of Feb.
 
Stored feed quality declines with age, last summer's hay loses nutrients from fall to winter to spring.
Fresh feed cures a lot of ills. In a natural habitat cattle move daily to find fresh feed daily.
(You never see a cow baling hay to store for winter) :)
 
I am noticing the same thing, not necessarily a huge difference but noticeable. I keep out protein/mineral tubs year round and they definitely seem to be hitting them harder lately. The grass is greening some and they are trying to graze a lot, I just don't think they are getting enough out of it. But they aren't hanging around the hay feeders stuffing themselves either... Spring fever I suppose. They want to be on grass, it's just not quite ready yet! I hope it is soon though, my hay supply is all but gone. Planning to hit the pastures with fertilizer in the next week or two and hopefully that will get things going strong.
 
JSCATTLE":bknxk1fv said:
Mine usually look bad the first of February. But they are sticking off and gaining weight. I know everyone says the new grass is all water but it must be better than my hay .. cows stopped eating hay the first week of Feb.
It does contain a huge amount of water if it's fresh new growth but cattle love it. Not a lot of protein until fertilized though. Also a period of low energy use so compensatory gain should be substantial.
 

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