Running out of hay!

[Kingfisher]

That's what some of my heifers are probably saying today. I'm running behind schedule and I'm worried about a few heifers I have dry lotted. Will they be ok for a day or two if they finish off a couple of bails I have left for them? They don't have any pasture access right now to graze but will they sift thru any of the waste hay that they may have lay in or urinated on and get by? Thanks in advance for your response.

 

[snake67]

I waited to see if anyone would step in and answer - no one did so I decided to answer it my way - the same way my own father would have answered me if I had asked the same whining question.

Hay problem in Texas?

I wish I had those troubles seeing as to the hundreds of bales I feed out every year.

It never hurts to have about 100 bales in reserve

I assume there is no one to feed them in that pen so whether it means they are OK or not is actually a moot point - why would you care? They are on one side of the fence and the feed is on the other side.

They are going to go hungry. Plain and simple. They will eat the schitte stuff if forced to - but so would you if you had to.

So now I put on my azzz hole hat and tell you that it is your responsibility - I do not care if it is midnight and you have a broken leg - get up there and feed them, have someone else feed them or get rid of them - asking here is not the issue - animal husbandry IS the issue.

Any animal can go without for a couple of days - but if they need to go without feed because you cannot make it to them to feed them - then why even own them?

Do your job and stop whining about being behind schedule and then coming here for moral support.

Bez

 

[Craig Miller]

I waited to see if anyone would step in and answer - no one did so I decided to answer it my way - the same way my own father would have answered me if I had asked the same whining question.

Hay problem in Texas?

I wish I had those troubles seeing as to the hundreds of bales I feed out every year.

It never hurts to have about 100 bales in reserve

I assume there is no one to feed them in that pen so whether it means they are OK or not is actually a moot point - why would you care? They are on one side of the fence and the feed is on the other side.

They are going to go hungry. Plain and simple. They will eat the schitte stuff if forced to - but so would you if you had to.

So now I put on my azzz hole hat and tell you that it is your responsibility - I do not care if it is midnight and you have a broken leg - get up there and feed them, have someone else feed them or get rid of them - asking here is not the issue - animal husbandry IS the issue.

Any animal can go without for a couple of days - but if they need to go without feed because you cannot make it to them to feed them - then why even own them?

Do your job and stop whining about being behind schedule and then coming here for moral support.

Bez

I agree. Its our responsibility to take care of them no matter what the circumstances.

 

[John SD]

+3. What a revolting question to be asking on a cattle site. No one has much sympathy for you because you have seen this day coming and had all winter to prepare for it.

You have created crisis all on your own. What to do now? Get on the phone right now and find some hay. Buy or borrow hay from a neighbor to tide you over if necessary. Do whatever it takes to keep those cattle fed.

How you you like to eat your "recycled feed"? If you're not going to care for them properly to the best of your ability, you shouldn't own cattle. Period. :2cents:

 

[randiliana]

Well, I think maybe a couple more questions should have been answered before everyone jumped on this guy. For example, how many heifers and how much 'left over' hay is there. If there is like half a bale left and only 10 or so head, that shouldn't be a problem. But if you're talking a hundred head and the same amount, well that is a different story!

 

[piedmontese]

Heck if nothing else feed them some 20% cubes for a day or 2 to get u by.

 

[Kingfisher]

I waited to see if anyone would step in and answer - no one did so I decided to answer it my way - the same way my own father would have answered me if I had asked the same whining question.

Hay problem in Texas?

I wish I had those troubles seeing as to the hundreds of bales I feed out every year.

It never hurts to have about 100 bales in reserve

I assume there is no one to feed them in that pen so whether it means they are OK or not is actually a moot point - why would you care? They are on one side of the fence and the feed is on the other side.

They are going to go hungry. Plain and simple. They will eat the schitte stuff if forced to - but so would you if you had to.

So now I put on my azzz hole hat and tell you that it is your responsibility - I do not care if it is midnight and you have a broken leg - get up there and feed them, have someone else feed them or get rid of them - asking here is not the issue - animal husbandry IS the issue.

Any animal can go without for a couple of days - but if they need to go without feed because you cannot make it to them to feed them - then why even own them?

Do your job and stop whining about being behind schedule and then coming here for moral support.

Bez

10-4! I knew I was in for an arse chewing. I appreciate all the replies despite either my inability to express myself with the written word or your lack of reading comprehension. After rechecking my feed schedule they shouldn't have to " sift" much trash if any. I know I can allways get some solid guidance here but would have to really dig deep within to discern weather I was looking for some moral support or whining.......Thanks Mr. Bez!

 

[fitz]

Hang in there Kingfisher. You're doing fine. They can be a tough crowd some days.

fitz

 

[John SD]

Hay is a little tougher to find this time of year of course. My cousin bought some nice grass hay a few weeks ago. Nice 1600-1700 lb plastic tied bales @ $100/ton delivered.

Cousin teaches school and her hubby had to go to National Guard job, so I was elected to unload. Same truck hauled 2 days in a row, 34 bales on each load. Hay owner rode along with the trucker on both trips. Settled up on final trip.

This time of year can be pretty iffy hauling hay on both ends. I'm glad the weather cooperated because the next day we got a foot of snow and wind with it. The two truckloads should get them through to spring now.

They like the hay and are going to buy more from the same guy, but right out of the field next fall this time.

 

[TexasBred]

That's what some of my heifers are probably saying today. I'm running behind schedule and I'm worried about a few heifers I have dry lotted. Will they be ok for a day or two if they finish off a couple of bails I have left for them? They don't have any pasture access right now to graze but will they sift thru any of the waste hay that they may have lay in or urinated on and get by? Thanks in advance for your response.

They'll be fine. I've seen them stand that long in pens at the sale barn with nothing but water. Rode through this ranch yesterday. Must cover 20,000 or more acres. They feed no hay anyti Just some liquid feed to make them nibble on the little more than dirt and rocks they call pasture. Cattle looked bad "to me" but they make it work. Go back in 3 months and they'll be fat and sassy and sell like rip.

http://w4ranch.com/

 

[cow pollinater]

It would certainly be better if you fed them every day but it's not an absolute must. Remember, they're ruminants so it takes considerably longer for them to digest stuff than it does for non-ruminants. LOTS of cattle here in CA have survived on hay every third or fourth day and not much else since about this time last year. It's far from ideal but it gets them by.

 

[Kingfisher]

. They feed no hay anyti Just some liquid feed to make them nibble on the little more than dirt and rocks they call pasture. Cattle looked bad "to me" but they make it work. Go back in 3 months and they'll be fat and sassy and sell like rip.

http://w4ranch.com/[/quote]

Lol. These heifers are from a W4 sire. Thanks for your reply.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

. They feed no hay anyti Just some liquid feed to make them nibble on the little more than dirt and rocks they call pasture. Cattle looked bad "to me" but they make it work. Go back in 3 months and they'll be fat and sassy and sell like rip.

http://w4ranch.com/

Lol. These heifers are from a W4 sire. Thanks for your reply.[/quote]

Then they should do just fine. Food is overrated, my wife tells me all the time I could stand to miss a few meals.

 

[herofan]

This thread is a perfect example of thoughts from another forum i'm on. The issue was, "why do adult human beings feel the need to ask other's for advice about anything?" Experience tells us that opinions are many and always from both ends of the spectrum, which basically leaves the information seeker none the better than before the question was asked.

Here, some find this situation so appalling that they stand kingfisher in the corner and send him to bed without his supper. On the other hand, some apparently find the situation no big deal and say the calves will be fine. Hmmm. That's a wide range. I guess kingfisher can pick one of those or go with something in between.

 

[djinwa]

That's what some of my heifers are probably saying today. I'm running behind schedule and I'm worried about a few heifers I have dry lotted. Will they be ok for a day or two if they finish off a couple of bails I have left for them? They don't have any pasture access right now to graze but will they sift thru any of the waste hay that they may have lay in or urinated on and get by? Thanks in advance for your response.

Be aware of the increased risk of coccidiosis when consuming feed with manure in it.

 

[greybeard]

Assuming they even eat it at all, but either way, they'll at least nose around in it.

Lots of hay still available here in my area--I even had a guy stop by 2 days ago while I was at the gate and ask if I needed any more.

Further west from here, it was a lot drier last summer--and the one before that--and the one before that----dry as in drought dry, so they don't have as much as we do.

 

[Kingfisher]

Be aware of the increased risk of coccidiosis when consuming feed with manure in it.[/quote]
That's what deep down I fear about most in such a condition. I'm aware of that issue but don't know much about the condition other than it comes from what you say. Thanks for bringing that up

 

[Kingfisher]

Assuming they even eat it at all, but either way, they'll at least nose around in it.
They didn't need to. They still had @3-4 squares worth left from the bails. It's about what they sift out every time anyway. They had a better idea. They just pushed thru a hastily built 3 strand "gate" made of electric fence wire. I was more concerned with them getting tangled up going thru that fence and getting hung stupid than em starving before I got over here with some chow.

Further west from here, it was a lot drier last summer--and the one before that--and the one before that----dry as in drought dry, so they don't have as much as we do.

The " hey were running out of hay" remark in my original post was an attempt to be humorus and mimicking what the heifers might have been thinking. We don't have much local hay. I'm outside of Brownwood. I've got access to Tifton and Coastal that I just have to bring with me from Frameswitch. You are correct that it was dry here last year. I got @ an inch in Austin but we didn't get nothing but a rainbow this last event up here.....;(

 

[TexasBred]

Surely someone around Goldthwaite or San Saba would have some hay for sale. Might be expensive though. They would be close to your line of travel.