No hay

[Mosho]

We are running out of hay. We have 22 lactating cows. Calves are 2 to 3 mos. old. We have very little ryegrass left. We have one pasture with dormant bahai grass. We have not found any hay to buy. We are supplementing with soy hulls and whole corn. Any suggestion what we can do if we can't find any hay?
Thank you for any help.

 

[3MR]

Sure, you can give me those cows.

Seriously though, I only have enough hay to the end of March myself, some stockpiled grass. Im planting 35 acres in oats. (If the weather cooperates) Is that something you can do as well, plant oats that is to stretch you out till spring grasses come in full force.

 

[sidney411]

Isn't it a little late to be planting oats?

 

[3MR]

No, end of Feb. When do you plant spring oats?

 

[3MR]

They have a OSU variety out now that they say you can plant as early as Jan 15.

 

[novatech]

A local mill here makes something they call hay replacer.
8% protein , 30% fiber,2.5% fat,and a lot of minerals. You might want to check with your local suppliers.
I use a lot of it to stretch out their hay, at a place I take care of.. Cows are doing well on it.

 

[GMN]

Supplement now with brewers grain, I know of someone who had beef cows, who started feeding this, and it has decreased his hay consumption greatly. We use to feed this to our dairy cows a long time ago, just didn't have a good enough way to feed it out, but it could help.

Also, I know this is expensive, but alfalfa the big squares can be rationed to get you through. I know this hay situation is crazy by us too, very expensive. Good luck!

Gail

 

[randiliana]

We are running out of hay. We have 22 lactating cows. Calves are 2 to 3 mos. old. We have very little ryegrass left. We have one pasture with dormant bahai grass. We have not found any hay to buy. We are supplementing with soy hulls and whole corn. Any suggestion what we can do if we can't find any hay?
Thank you for any help.

The suggestions given were good ones, but here is a biggie and you may have already done this, but if you haven't, cull off any cows that you don't like or that have some sort of a problem. That will help stretch what hay you have out for the other animals.

 

[sidney411]

I didn't know there was a warm weather oat. I thought they were typically for late fall/winter grazing. Our oats are already turning yellow with these few warm days we've had.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cull your herd it is a management tool as well.
Running out of hay is a management issue If you ran out of hay you went into the winter without enough or added cows.
It is a lot less painful to cull a fat cow than a skinny one.
How many round bales did you put up per cow. If I read your post right you had 22 should have had at least 70 4x5's for that many.

 

[r and s peckman]

When it looked like we were going to come up short, we started feeding extender pellets. The MFA elevator has them and it has helped us out greatly. They are cheaper than corn.

 

[GMN]

Cull your herd it is a management tool as well.
Running out of hay is a management issue If you ran out of hay you went into the winter without enough or added cows.
It is a lot less painful to cull a fat cow than a skinny one.
How many round bales did you put up per cow. If I read your post right you had 22 should have had at least 70 4x5's for that many.

70 bales? For 22 Dairy cows, I don't think that is near enough, where did you get that number?

GMN

 

[GMN]

We are running out of hay. We have 22 lactating cows. Calves are 2 to 3 mos. old. We have very little ryegrass left. We have one pasture with dormant bahai grass. We have not found any hay to buy. We are supplementing with soy hulls and whole corn. Any suggestion what we can do if we can't find any hay?
Thank you for any help.

The suggestions given were good ones, but here is a biggie and you may have already done this, but if you haven't, cull off any cows that you don't like or that have some sort of a problem. That will help stretch what hay you have out for the other animals.

Culling may be an option, but with 22 cows, I would not do this.Good dairy cows are hard to replace, and I think you will surely be able to find some alfalfa, ration it, and pull through this hard stretch. Good luck!

GMN

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cull your herd it is a management tool as well.
Running out of hay is a management issue If you ran out of hay you went into the winter without enough or added cows.
It is a lot less painful to cull a fat cow than a skinny one.
How many round bales did you put up per cow. If I read your post right you had 22 should have had at least 70 4x5's for that many.

70 bales? For 22 Dairy cows, I don't think that is near enough, where did you get that number?

GMN

He is in Al not up north heck only put up 2 rolls per cow here for the winter thats over three per cow.

We have about 90 days you need to feed hay in a bad winter.

 

[dun]

Cull your herd it is a management tool as well.
Running out of hay is a management issue If you ran out of hay you went into the winter without enough or added cows.
It is a lot less painful to cull a fat cow than a skinny one.
How many round bales did you put up per cow. If I read your post right you had 22 should have had at least 70 4x5's for that many.

70 bales? For 22 Dairy cows, I don't think that is near enough, where did you get that number?

GMN

Dairy cows?

dun

 

[GMN]

Cull your herd it is a management tool as well.
Running out of hay is a management issue If you ran out of hay you went into the winter without enough or added cows.
It is a lot less painful to cull a fat cow than a skinny one.
How many round bales did you put up per cow. If I read your post right you had 22 should have had at least 70 4x5's for that many.

70 bales? For 22 Dairy cows, I don't think that is near enough, where did you get that number?

GMN

He is in Al not up north heck only put up 2 rolls per cow here for the winter thats over three per cow.

We have about 90 days you need to feed hay in a bad winter.

Gotcha, I keep forgetting it is different in the warmer states, lucky you, wish that is all we had to feed!

Gail

 

[Caustic Burno]

Cull your herd it is a management tool as well.
Running out of hay is a management issue If you ran out of hay you went into the winter without enough or added cows.
It is a lot less painful to cull a fat cow than a skinny one.
How many round bales did you put up per cow. If I read your post right you had 22 should have had at least 70 4x5's for that many.

70 bales? For 22 Dairy cows, I don't think that is near enough, where did you get that number?

GMN

He is in Al not up north heck only put up 2 rolls per cow here for the winter thats over three per cow.

We have about 90 days you need to feed hay in a bad winter.

Gotcha, I keep forgetting it is different in the warmer states, lucky you, wish that is all we had to feed!

Gail

I couldn't imagine a 200 day hay season like some of yall have.
That has to be a tough enviroment to make a profit in.
What is the normal bale requirements to winter a cow there?

 

[MrBilly]

You may want to check the Georgia Cattlemen's Association website at URL http://www.gabeef.org

They have a hay directory, also the Georgia Farm Bureau has a hay directory.

I bought 65 rolls yesterday, some came from Tifton, GA and some twenty miles away. We got it right in the ear - $65 per bale - and they even didn't wear a mask when they took the check.

They are big bales and look to be in good shape.

Good Luck.

Billy

 

[Dusty Britches]

70 bales? For 22 Dairy cows, I don't think that is near enough, where did you get that number?

GMN

Dairy cows?

dun

Yeah, where did you get that they were dairy cows? He said lactating.

 

[Bud In lower Ala]

PMed Mosho,and was told These are Beef cows(Angus/brahma cross) Started out with 100 4x5 bales, but had to feed those well-fare cows in OCT because of drought, and the rye didn't do as well as expected. Some Bahia turning green but still not enough to feed the cows; Mosho is my friend, we live in the same county in South Al. I'm having the same problem with my small herd of black cows, so I too am interested in suggestions.
I'm feeding 20 Gallons of soy hull pellets and whole corn mixed 2/3 soy hulls 1/3 corn for 20 cows, plus hay. If you can help Mosho, I think it will help a lot of small producers here in Lower Ala
Thanks. Bud in L.A.