Supplemental Feed to stretch summer grass

[cherokeeruby]

This is going to sound like a very strange question but I really do need help with this subject.
We have always run our cattle on the feed them all they can find plan until now. We have sold off our F-1 herd and will be returning to breeding just Registered Brahman. We have leased out our big pasture and will be running the cows here at the house. We are also cutting back on the number of Brahmans but will still have more than the grass can support.
So my question is what to feed them? Will be supplementing their grazing but not sure of the best approach.

 

[dun]

Supplementing while they should be grazing, or over grazing pastures is a waste of money. Overgrazing pastures steals from future growth/health. Feeding supplemnts, even straw with some sort tank liquid is still a waste of money. We had to face this option after 3 years of drought and the only viable solution is/was to destock part of your forage base. It's too early for wheat stuble or corn stuble. With the net return from beef cows you can't carry feed to them like you can in a dairy environment and still make anything, or in most cases breakeven.

dun

This is going to sound like a very strange question but I really do need help with this subject.
We have always run our cattle on the feed them all they can find plan until now. We have sold off our F-1 herd and will be returning to breeding just Registered Brahman. We have leased out our big pasture and will be running the cows here at the house. We are also cutting back on the number of Brahmans but will still have more than the grass can support.
So my question is what to feed them? Will be supplementing their grazing but not sure of the best approach.

 

[Campground Cattle]

This is going to sound like a very strange question but I really do need help with this subject.
We have always run our cattle on the feed them all they can find plan until now. We have sold off our F-1 herd and will be returning to breeding just Registered Brahman. We have leased out our big pasture and will be running the cows here at the house. We are also cutting back on the number of Brahmans but will still have more than the grass can support.
So my question is what to feed them? Will be supplementing their grazing but not sure of the best approach.

Selldown to what your pastures can carry. The best supplemental is a well fertilized pasture. There is no money out of cow with its head in a sack. I tried the sack approach in the 99/00 drought might as well have burned the money.

 

[TheBullLady]

I'll have to agree with the previous posts.. we hauled 110 cows to Texas 12 years ago during a drought and had to feed them "out of the bag" for two years. It was not a profitable venture! In hindsight, we should have sold half the herd in Illinois.

I'm guessing selling the herd down isn't something you want to consider.. so a good quality hay is a must. We also fed a 10% gound feed from the local mill every other day. We tried the lick tank approach, and that was a total waste of $$.. I think the only time they are viable is if you're not there every day to feed.

We also sold one of our ranchs this spring! It was 22 miles one way, and the drive time, fuel expense, etc. was not worth the effort. We've sold about half our cow herd off, and although it was REALLY tough to do, we're happier for it now!

 

[hillbilly]

We push our pasture a little, it shows up end of July and August.
We rotational graze and around that time we run short.
We keep our hay in an old riding barn. we pull out all left overs before putting in this years hay. then we put the old hay in last. When grass gets short we put the cows in a lot and feed the old hay.
Grass still grows in the dog days, its just slow growth.
If you can keep them off 2 weeks it usually gives the pastures a chance to get ahead again and with fall rain, stay ahead.
Having grass up to their hip bones and not counting your calves because you can't see them could also be considered a waist.
Mountain William

 

[dun]

Having grass up to their hip bones and not counting your calves because you can't see them could also be considered a waist.

I agree it's a waste, or maybe a waist, but after three years of having to start feeding hay earlier and earlier it sure is comforting to have grass to spare.
Last winter we fed maybe 10 bales and that was only to the girls that were up in the calving pasture. Far cry from the past.

dun

 

[hillbilly]

How did you know I was talkin about you???
I'm just jealous!
I would kill to have that much grass.
William

 

[dun]

Because of the picture I posted.
BTW, if you need hay I can make you a good deal on some.

dun

How did you know I was talkin about you???
I'm just jealous!
I would kill to have that much grass.
William

 

[hillbilly]

"waist...waste"
You makin fun of my spellin?
Might havta woop out my diploma.
That'll Quite the crowd......
We try to put up a little more than we need and sell the rest, but one never knows. If we run short I might be callin,
Thanks, billy

 

[HandB]

I hear what ya'll are sayin. However in the case of supplements there is only one product out there that actually increases feed efficiency and prolongs the the life of your pastures. It is called Bacti-Grow. This is a nutrient dense extremely high energy liquid supplement that increases the digestability of your forage by as much as 20%. If you have further questions look up Flin-Mac.com or view my post on feeds in the classifieds. I would not reccomend any other supplement for the same reasons as every one else did, however, honest to God this is an absolute God-send to the cattle industry.

 

[cherokeeruby]

Thanks everyone for all the imput on this subject. This year rain has been exceptional, pastures are lush. Give me a bit more time to reduce the herd, thank goodness.

 

[dun]

Now that we have you taken care with the rain. ship some our way.

dun

Thanks everyone for all the imput on this subject. This year rain has been exceptional, pastures are lush. Give me a bit more time to reduce the herd, thank goodness.