Rationing hay?

[denoginnizer]

Do you ever let the hay run out in the winter? I mean do you put out x amount of bales per week and thats it or do you put out enough were they have free choice?

 

[msscamp]

Do you ever let the hay run out in the winter? I mean do you put out x amount of bales per week and thats it or do you put out enough were they have free choice?

We put X amount of bales based on their body weight and feed requirements for the type of weather, but they are also on grass, corn stalks, and a little bit of ground hay/beet pulp.

 

[milkmaid]

Wintertime, with snow on the ground covering everything... I feed free choice hay to the cows. I push hay up twice a day in one pen (the other feeder has a back board), and put out more hay at the same time.

Basically, I feed free choice - I don't like to let them get close to running out.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

I bought enough to last the winter, as soon as the bale ring is empty they get another bale.

 

[Bama]

I feed free choice. I do let them finish off rolls before giving them new ones. If they have access to new rolls all the time they will leaves some and start on newer rolls. They wont finish it before starting a new one.

 

[Susie David]

Feed by weight/desired ROG, the cows get a higher grade of alfalfa as they are starting the third trimester along with extra cracked corn when the temps drop below the mid-teens. Feed twice a day. Dmc

 

[BuckemRanch]

Does it matter if you feed twice a day?

 

[1848]

I agree with Mahoney and Bama. Just make sure the hay has enough nutritional protien for you conditions and the state of the cow (ie: lactating, dry, breeding). You may have to supplement it with something else.