Stockpile or hay?

[kickinbull]

Which do you prefer?

 

[kenny thomas]

Stockpile. No work, usually higher protein.

 

[True Grit Farms]

We do hay, our grasses don't stockpile.

 

[Nesikep]

If you get a lot of snow, stockpiled stuff will be inaccessible to the cows and you'll lose a lot. I try and stockpile enough to get me to christmas

 

[kenny thomas]

kickinbull is at the same distance north/south that I am just a little west. Fescue should do well there and very little snow.

 

[littletom]

Stockpile whole lot cheaper

 

[dun]

Some of both. You will always need hay for some unforeseen event/circumstance.

 

[kenny thomas]

Some of both. You will always need hay for some unforeseen event/circumstance.

I agree, even though I love stockpile I keep a winters worth of hay in the barn just in case.

 

[dun]

Some of both. You will always need hay for some unforeseen event/circumstance.

I agree, even though I love stockpile I keep a winters worth of hay in the barn just in case.

This year we used hay for 2 months during the summer. Still have more than enough for the winter.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Neither.

An approach in snow country is to try to match cow stocking rate to fall pasture capacity. This would seem to compete with stockpiling, but stockpiled grass is not worth much in deep snow. Some will stockpile SS or corn for winter grazing in snow, but they cost a lot more than fescue. Stocking rate is a complicated thing with a lot of trade offs.

Then there is still the spring flush to manage profitably. So either you find a way to make inexpensive balage or you find a way to make variable stocking rate work. In snow country.