running cows on alfalfa

[hersh]

I am almost finished fencing in hay ground that I planted 5 years ago, lots of grass has come in and the alfalfa is thinning. Never liked this feild for hay cause its kinda in a hole surrounded by trees and always was a pain to get hay dry in a normal year. Its pretty high, about knee high in some places. I plan on letting them have an acre at a time through temp fencing and this 8 acres should last my 9 well into fall. What caution should I take so they dont bloat on me? The alfafa isnt as lush as it would be in the spring. And, is there a deal with alfalfa and frost? Seems like I heard there is a toxic problem with it for a couple of days with the killing frost.

 

[milkmaid]

I run my 'herd' on alfalfa hay ground after the first cutting has come off, and they stay on it until the snow flies in the winter. Haven't had any problems, but I do leave out a bloat block (made by Sweetlix, I think), and I make sure they're full of hay/grass before they go out the first time so they don't gorge themselves.

 

[bigbull338]

i would run break wires an stripp graze that field.an if you can id only graze them 3hrs a day.an then pull them out till the next day.if the grass is good cows can get full in 3hrs.if you leave them on it 24/7 they will tromp alot of it down.its best to control time graze them.because you could have 40 days of grazing there.

 

[KNERSIE]

i would run break wires an stripp graze that field.an if you can id only graze them 3hrs a day.an then pull them out till the next day.if the grass is good cows can get full in 3hrs.if you leave them on it 24/7 they will tromp alot of it down.its best to control time graze them.because you could have 40 days of grazing there.

Although I agree strip grazing would be better than stockgrazing an acre at a time, grazing for only three hours a day will SIGNIFICANTLY increase the risk of bloat.

 

[Boldcat]

I graze my cows on 80% alfalfa. Never lost one. I start them on a full stomach of hay and when it drys off they go in for an hour and then increase it daily.
They do tramp it but it gives good cover to retain moisture in the spring . This spring I was going to turn them in in May as it was emerging through the dry residue from the previous year but I had a terrible case of scours going through my calves so I had to keep them in a smaller grass pasture. I also keep a couple bales of hay in feeders in the pasture for them.
Alfalfa's roots go down deep and it can really save you in a drought year.
I would welcome any more questions about this topic but I'm a bit hazy from pain killers right now so I hope what I wrote makes sense.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I put together a bloat kit (trocar, stomach tube, drench...) but I have never had to use it

1) fill them up
2) turn them in about mid day
3) check them in a couple hours

I have heard about an increase in bloat after a frost also. Was told the frosted and ruptured forage leaves broke down faster in the rumen.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I was quite interested in this subject. We purchased some new land, which is now fenced. 15 acres of maybe 50% alfalfa (played out) & 15 acre of newly planted heavy clover/grass mixture. Once we move them to these fields, we can't move off daily (let eat for 3 hours at a time), so I am also worried about bloat. Do the bloat blocks work???? Do you start them on the blocks prior to grazing the heavy legumes?
Anyone got any more info on frosts increasing bloat?
20 years ago we managed a large herd (about 150 cows) and I turned the cows into a new field at around 11am - mostly grasss with a few "patches" of alfalfa in September. After lunch, I went out with a camera to get some good cow/calf pics. I found a dead cow, one down, and most all the rest bloated.
To say the least, I am more than WORRIED. We took two hay cuttings off and plan on fall grazing till the snow stops us.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Bloat blocks work if you start them a couple days before and they ALL use the blocks. I have some available for resale.
Ionosphore reduces the chance of a problem if you can afford to supplement them.
Older forage reduces the chance of a problem if you can afford to wait.
In some low cost countries they use a full time herder - - if the cattle start to bloat they move them off the field.

I plant a lot of legume and I used to worry about bloat. Now I swath graze if the legume looks too good - - cut one afternoon and turn them in the next day after they have had their morning fill. This makes them eat the entire stem rather the just topping off with the dangerous high test part of the plant, and all the thistle get sent straight to thistle hell without the cost of clipping

 

[milkmaid]

I graze with bloat blocks, but don't worry about the herd much if I don't have bloat blocks out. My pasture used to be about 75-100% alfalfa depending on the location, currently the front half is about 85% and the back half about 60%. It's not too different from feeding straight alfalfa hay. They love it and do very well on the alfalfa.

 

[somn]

Anyone got any more info on frosts increasing bloat?

Actually a killing frost will reduce the chance of bloat in alfalfa.

 

[somn]

And, is there a deal with alfalfa and frost? Seems like I heard there is a toxic problem with it for a couple of days with the killing frost.

The toxic problems doesn't come from the alfalfa it is other plants in with the alfalfa.

 

[dun]

Extracr from the attached link:

There is an old, persistent false-hood around that alfalfa becomes toxic following a frost. Alfalfa does not contain any "toxic" compounds that arise from exposure to frost. However, alfalfa can cause bloat, and immediately after a frost alfalfa's bloat potential is higher than normal.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Pages/ ... 61011.html

 

[hillsdown]

Thanks for the link Dun, now I have a stupid question. What if you cut and bale alfalfa after a frost, does the curing of the hay eliminate any subsequent reactions such as bloat.
With the snow predicted for tonight and frost and our second cut alfalfa still not cut just wondering if it is worth it.
BTW you can not get bloat blocks here.

 

[dun]

What if you cut and bale alfalfa after a frost, does the curing of the hay eliminate any subsequent reactions such as bloat.

Welllllllllll, I don;t know. But I've seen cattle that weren't used to it bloat on alfalfa hay, so I would say no. We used to feed nothong but alfalfa (partner had 1500 acres of the stuff), when we would get in new stock we would feed them the old dry powdery stuff for a couple of feedings then switch them over to the same stuff everyone else was eating. Never had bloat from alfalfa hay doing that.

 

[somn]

Hillsdown there is a huge difference between a killing frost and a frost that only affected the top of the plant. Whatever type of frost you have determines what and how you feed the alfalfa.

 

[hillsdown]

Somn ,it is only supposed to get to a low of 3 Celsius here this week not yet freezing but a chance of frost, and still a chance of snow. So from those conditions what would you suggest? Say with a touch of frost...
Thanks

Sorry to jack the thread but usually we are done a lot sooner than this..

 

[somn]

With a killing frost I would take the alfalfa for hay. But just a slight frost I would graze it. I personally don't graze anything so I would do nothing until I get a killing frost. Then I bale it.

 

[grubbie]

Im no expert on forage by any means, but learned from Grandpa and dad that we wait till after the first frost to turn the cows back on the alfalfa. We remove them in the spring as it statrs to grow. Only time we have ever had bloat was in the spring when we didnt get them off in time. Never had it in the fall. Have also never seen bloat from baled hay, not even second cutting alfalfa. Just my experience.

 

[KNERSIE]

Have also never seen bloat from baled hay, not even second cutting alfalfa. Just my experience.

Me neither.

Bloat is seldom a problem if the cattle don't go into the alfalfa hungry and gorge themselves. Never turn hungry cattle onto alfalfa, wait till the dew is off, keep a bale of hay or straw out at all times and you're relatively safe.

Here you also get a bloatguard bolus that will prevent bloat at turnout.

Grazing medics causes much more bloat problems than grazing alfalfa in my experience.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Early cut second crop alfalfa hay can cause bloat but it is not common.