Poor Man’s Alfalfa

UnlistMe
Inventry
Gather App
S

StrojanHerefords

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2023
Messages
497
City & State/Province
Farmington, California
I have been looking at how to supplement cows and I have thought about the characteristics of a feed that would fill the gap. What kind of byproducts have 10-15% protein, below 60 tdn and can be fed at about 10 pounds per cow every third day.
 
The answer here is actual real Alfalfa. I see it advertised for $120 to $160 a ton. That is big squares at the stack so you get to pay the trucking. The $120 hay is called feeder hay so not the best quality. The $160 is said to be dairy quality.
 
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
See price on Amazon
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
See price on Amazon
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
See price on Amazon
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
See price on Amazon
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
See price on Amazon
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
See price on Amazon
Smoak Firewood Cooking Wood Mini Splits - USDA Certified Kiln Dried Pizza Oven Wood, Grilling Wood, Smoking Wood, BBQing Wood (8inch Pieces, 25-30lbs 1728 Cubic in - Hickory)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
The best thing to do is find out what feed and byproducts are available locally. Freight costs can rule out the very best of options. Find some low cost products that are in your area and then ask about the experience we have had using it.
 
A bit higher in protein than you asked for but when things get tough here I supplement with Canola meal every 3rd day, has them chasing and utilizing the poorer quality roughage and works just as good as daily feeding. You do give them the amounts for daily feeding but just give twice a week.
It stores real well too and rodents don't seem to touch it.

Ken
 
wbvs58 said:
A bit higher in protein than you asked for but when things get tough here I supplement with Canola meal every 3rd day, has them chasing and utilizing the poorer quality roughage and works just as good as daily feeding. You do give them the amounts for daily feeding but just give twice a week.
It stores real well too and rodents don't seem to touch it.

Ken
Click to expand...
We do basically that same thing with alfalfa once the field si full. Feeding 2 big squares of grass hay a day to 80 cows. Twice a week I feed one grass hay and one alfalfa. Cows come through the winter looking real good.
 
Dave said:
The answer here is actual real Alfalfa. I see it advertised for $120 to $160 a ton. That is big squares at the stack so you get to pay the trucking. The $120 hay is called feeder hay so not the best quality. The $160 is said to be dairy quality.
Click to expand...
Down here in California, the price of alfalfa is twice that. We have a lot of dairies and hobbyist who drive up the price of hay.
 
wbvs58 said:
A bit higher in protein than you asked for but when things get tough here I supplement with Canola meal every 3rd day, has them chasing and utilizing the poorer quality roughage and works just as good as daily feeding. You do give them the amounts for daily feeding but just give twice a week.
It stores real well too and rodents don't seem to touch it.

Ken
Click to expand...
That is basically my idea except that I would want to feed something with a little more bulk for a couple reasons. First I want everything to eat not just the bossy cows that is a lot easier feeding 15 pounds of 15% protein feed compared with 5 pounds of a 35% protein feed. Second feeding more bulk further stretches the grass supply and last manure is money.
 
StrojanHerefords said:
That is basically my idea except that I would want to feed something with a little more bulk for a couple reasons. First I want everything to eat not just the bossy cows that is a lot easier feeding 15 pounds of 15% protein feed compared with 5 pounds of a 35% protein feed. Second feeding more bulk further stretches the grass supply and last manure is money.
Click to expand...
I like feeding the meals as they take a lot longer to eat than a grain mix. so the stragglers get to have a fair share. I have a small feedlot with a long bunk made from some lengths of old heavy concrete water troughs that I picked up at an auction cheap. There is enough length to cater for all my cows. I have a barb wire fence around it with 2 gates, one for the cows and one at the back for me to drive in and put out their meal evenly in the bunk before I let them in so they all get a fair go. I like feeding just twice a week as they will be in my scrub block and won't be lined up expecting a feed every day so will go off and make the most of the low quality roughage. I will ring up the Co-op each year and ask which is the best bang for my buck as far as the meals go, it does vary from year to year though canola meal has been the winner here for a couple of years now but not so long ago soyabean meal was the clear winner, I have also used cottonseed meal and copra meal.

Ken
 
Dave said:
The answer here is actual real Alfalfa. I see it advertised for $120 to $160 a ton. That is big squares at the stack so you get to pay the trucking. The $120 hay is called feeder hay so not the best quality. The $160 is said to be dairy quality.
Click to expand...
Where is it that cheap? 1800 pound bales in far west Texas run $385 (mainly because of "hunting ranches" using it for deer feed.
 
Dave said:
The answer here is actual real Alfalfa. I see it advertised for $120 to $160 a ton. That is big squares at the stack so you get to pay the trucking. The $120 hay is called feeder hay so not the best quality. The $160 is said to be dairy quality.
Click to expand...
That’s crazy expensive in my world. We are getting near that price now after 3 years of drought, but it should go back to half that when things turn around.
 
No alfalfa grown in this immediate area. But looks like if you wanted to truck it a few hundred miles from the dairy state it can be had for 110-120 a ton.
 
Bob Kinford said:
Where is it that cheap? 1800 pound bales in far west Texas run $385 (mainly because of "hunting ranches" using it for deer feed.
Click to expand...
The irrigated area of Eastern Oregon and Washington and southern Idaho. One of the standard crop rotations is potatoes, wheat, and alfalfa. 99% or better is put in square bales. Squares haul and stack better. Small squares for the feed store market. Big squares for the commercial beef and dairy operations.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top