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<blockquote data-quote="Bez+" data-source="post: 713882" data-attributes="member: 6797"><p>Millions of beef cattle stay outdoors in North America</p><p></p><p>When I was a young boy we always left the dairy cows and calves outside - although that has changed over the past generation or so</p><p></p><p>Our beef cows stay out even when it gets colder than minus 40 - all they need is some shelter from wind - so hills and trees are your friend.</p><p></p><p>We have some dry whole corn available to feed if we want but generally if the hay tests out at 9 - 11% we do not supplement them with any grain - too expensive - other than some mineral and hay they get nothing - they do very well - we feed for 7 months of the year this way.</p><p></p><p>In fact we calve with snow on the ground</p><p></p><p>You will see there are no real problems keeping the beef outside - they will stay with the food.</p><p></p><p>We always place the bales where we want the manure to be placed.</p><p></p><p>Some will say it is wasteful - but we do not have to clean pens, haul manure and spread manure.</p><p></p><p>So we "bale graze"and there are many in western Canada that do this - when it is penciled out, the wasted hay comes to far less than the pen cleaning cost - which include hauling and spreading costs, spring fertilizer costs, pen repairs, and so on.</p><p></p><p>A great added cost savings is there is little to no wear and tear on the tractor - no starting it every day and running it for an hour or two - no warm up times - etc. We never have to use the tractor in the winter to feed because it is alreay in place - just waiting for the cows to be walked up to it when we open the gates. No fuel costs either.</p><p></p><p>All bale grazing means is we place the bales in the fields before the snow comes - then we turn the cows in. When the cows have cleaned up one area, we simply move them to another.</p><p></p><p>We take the twine or the net wrap off the bales when we place the bales in the field as we use round bales - they maintain their shape and shed water - this also removes the problem of frozen wrap on the bales being left in the fields to be picked up next spring.</p><p></p><p>The next year the pastures come back very, very strongly where we leave the bales for them to eat so we do not buy fertilizer any more.</p><p></p><p>One additional cost that is saved by doing this is there are no straw or bedding costs. They sleep on the waste hay and in warmer weather will lay right on the packed snow.</p><p></p><p>Most of our cows have water available - but the older ones will not walk the 400 metres to get it - they stay at the hay and eat the snow - so we also have a water heating cost savings.</p><p></p><p>Like you we have longer winters and longer feed times than most in the US of A - so this makes our lives much easier.</p><p></p><p>Altogether we believe we save over 30% of our original carrying costs by doing this as compared to the days when we kept the cows in a confined area to feed them. </p><p></p><p>Every year we place the bales in a different location to ensure good coverage of the fields.</p><p></p><p>As well, we run Horned Herfords - British breeds are an excellent animal for cold weather .</p><p></p><p>Your winters are quite like some areas of Canada - whch is where I live.</p><p></p><p>You will be fine.</p><p></p><p>Regards</p><p></p><p>Bez+</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bez+, post: 713882, member: 6797"] Millions of beef cattle stay outdoors in North America When I was a young boy we always left the dairy cows and calves outside - although that has changed over the past generation or so Our beef cows stay out even when it gets colder than minus 40 - all they need is some shelter from wind - so hills and trees are your friend. We have some dry whole corn available to feed if we want but generally if the hay tests out at 9 - 11% we do not supplement them with any grain - too expensive - other than some mineral and hay they get nothing - they do very well - we feed for 7 months of the year this way. In fact we calve with snow on the ground You will see there are no real problems keeping the beef outside - they will stay with the food. We always place the bales where we want the manure to be placed. Some will say it is wasteful - but we do not have to clean pens, haul manure and spread manure. So we "bale graze"and there are many in western Canada that do this - when it is penciled out, the wasted hay comes to far less than the pen cleaning cost - which include hauling and spreading costs, spring fertilizer costs, pen repairs, and so on. A great added cost savings is there is little to no wear and tear on the tractor - no starting it every day and running it for an hour or two - no warm up times - etc. We never have to use the tractor in the winter to feed because it is alreay in place - just waiting for the cows to be walked up to it when we open the gates. No fuel costs either. All bale grazing means is we place the bales in the fields before the snow comes - then we turn the cows in. When the cows have cleaned up one area, we simply move them to another. We take the twine or the net wrap off the bales when we place the bales in the field as we use round bales - they maintain their shape and shed water - this also removes the problem of frozen wrap on the bales being left in the fields to be picked up next spring. The next year the pastures come back very, very strongly where we leave the bales for them to eat so we do not buy fertilizer any more. One additional cost that is saved by doing this is there are no straw or bedding costs. They sleep on the waste hay and in warmer weather will lay right on the packed snow. Most of our cows have water available - but the older ones will not walk the 400 metres to get it - they stay at the hay and eat the snow - so we also have a water heating cost savings. Like you we have longer winters and longer feed times than most in the US of A - so this makes our lives much easier. Altogether we believe we save over 30% of our original carrying costs by doing this as compared to the days when we kept the cows in a confined area to feed them. Every year we place the bales in a different location to ensure good coverage of the fields. As well, we run Horned Herfords - British breeds are an excellent animal for cold weather . Your winters are quite like some areas of Canada - whch is where I live. You will be fine. Regards Bez+ [/QUOTE]
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