supplementing poor quality hay

[MtnCows93]

I believe my hay and all the hay I'm my area this year is going to be pretty poor quality! tons of weeds and the rain made it very hard to get hay cut early, there was a lot of hay that didn't get cut the first time until late August! and this 2nd cut is burnt up and has a lot of broomsedge in it. anyway every year I've gotten by feeding my cows just grass hay and mineral all winter, they do loose weight but never anything extreme. this year I'm wanting to supplement them and their calves also with something extra. I'm leaning towards a liquid feed like mo lick from southern states or mix30 which is 16% protein and 10% fat. I like the idea of the high fat and I've heard calves will lick on it as young as a month old. just wondering what y'all would do of if there may be a cheaper option to keep the cows fat and the calves growing. I can get mix30 for $1.85 a gallon

 

[kenny thomas]

First thing is to have your extension agent to get your hay tested. Then decide whats needed.

 

[MtnCows93]

First thing is to have your extension agent to get your hay tested. Then decide whats needed.

I believe I will do that I never have before but I have a good friend that does and I could easily have him do mine when he does his. just one problem with that. I have roughly 30 small hayfields in a 5 mile radius so the hay will be all different kinds

 

[kenny thomas]

I believe I will do that I never have before but I have a good friend that does and I could easily have him do mine when he does his. just one problem with that. I have roughly 30 small hayfields in a 5 mile radius so the hay will be all different kinds

Do you have it stored in different areas or all together? If all together just get a bunch of samples and average them out.

 

[MtnCows93]

Do you have it stored in different areas or all together? If all together just get a bunch of samples and average them out.

its all together, that's what I'll do take about 10 samples then mix it. and I may also take a sample of my very worst by itself just to see what that comes back as

 

[bird dog]

Question. If the hays has a bunch of weeds in it, won't that spike the protein level since most weeds are high in protein?

2nd question -- Won't the cows just push this high protein poor tasting stuff aside to get to something more palatable?

So in essence making your hay sample worthless since it is accounting for the stuff they won't eat?

 

[kenny thomas]

Yes, if you know where the worst is sample it seperate.
From experience, unrolling the hay allows them to eat more of the good hay and spreads out the bad parts as mulch.

 

[kenny thomas]

Question. If the hays has a bunch of weeds in it, won't that spike the protein level since most weeds are high in protein?

2nd question -- Won't the cows just push this high protein poor tasting stuff aside to get to something more palatable?

So in essence making your hay sample worthless since it is accounting for the stuff they won't eat?

Thats a good question. Im going to have to think on that one a little.

 

[Brute 23]

I use liquid feed some times. It's benefit is getting through short periods with little to no labor. A lot of people will deliver to your property and maintain them.

We use whole cottonseed. It's easily available in ihr are and is very reasonably priced. It has the high fat content you were talking about.

I hear soybeans are cheap this year. If you have some in your area it might be worth looking at.

 

[MtnCows93]

I use liquid feed some times. It's benefit is getting through short periods with little to no labor. A lot of people will deliver to your property and maintain them.

We use whole cottonseed. It's easily available in ihr are and is very reasonably priced. It has the high fat content you were talking about.

I hear soybeans are cheap this year. If you have some in your area it might be worth looking at.

ill have to look into cottonseed, as far as soybeans go can you just grind them and feed them without roasting them? I've never messed with feeding any soybeans before

 

[anewcomer]

Kenny’s right 1000%. Good advice for all of us.

 

[Brute 23]

ill have to look into cottonseed, as far as soybeans go can you just grind them and feed them without roasting them? I've never messed with feeding any soybeans before

Google how to feed whole soybeans to cattle. They can be fed as is. No need to roast or grind although those are options.

 

[MtnCows93]

Google how to feed whole soybeans to cattle. They can be fed as is. No need to roast or grind although those are options.

I will do that thank you!

 

[sstterry]

I hear soybeans are cheap this year. If you have some in your area it might be worth looking at.

Soy beans should be dirt cheap this year. China has stopped buying US soybeans and is now buying them from Brazil.

 

[angus9259]

Soy beans should be dirt cheap this year. China has stopped buying US soybeans and is now buying them from Brazil.

Super dumb question coming.... I've never fed soybeans. Do you just feed them whole? Grind? Powder? Mixed with something? Pelletized?

 

[Brute 23]

Super dumb question coming.... I've never fed soybeans. Do you just feed them whole? Grind? Powder? Mixed with something? Pelletized?

Type in "how to feed soybeans to beef cattle" in to your search engine like Google. You will get a ton of info including the article below.

https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-...or-frost-damaged-soybeans-to-beef-cattle.html

 

[MtnCows93]

Type in "how to feed soybeans to beef cattle" in to your search engine like Google. You will get a ton of info including the article below.

https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-...or-frost-damaged-soybeans-to-beef-cattle.html

thanks for the link

 

[Moparmaniac07]

Soy beans should be dirt cheap this year. China has stopped buying US soybeans and is now buying them from Brazil.

I keep hearing that, but where did Brazil's soybeans go last year, and why would they not want any this year? Why would there be less demand in the global market?

 

[sstterry]

I keep hearing that, but where did Brazil's soybeans go last year, and why would they not want any this year? Why would there be less demand in the global market?

China stopped buying because of the tariffs. I have no idea where Brazil sold its beans last year, but Brazil is the world's largest producer of soybeans.

 

[Ky hills]

We typically have poorer quality hay. Usually it’s late June, sometimes early July when we get the first cutting. I am not able to put up my own hay and sold my hay equipment several years ago. It is what is, the folks that put it up for me have been dependable over the years to get it put up, so I just try to work around the hay quality, by feeding some bulk grain ration through the winter. Usually a 3 way mix of 1/3 corn, 1/3 soy hulls (pellets), 1/3 corn gluten (pellets).
A few years ago I had some hay samples tested and it wasn’t impressive, some as low as 4% and the highest might have been around 5.
My cows, typically winter pretty well,
This year we had a lot of rain and then it shut off. By the time the hay was cut in second- third weeks of August, what was there was dried up.
We are so dry right now, I e been feeding hay for 3 weeks, and feeding grain most days too.
Had some young cows that were getting pulled down by their spring calves so we went on and weaned calves.
Have also been putting out some 25% protein tubs from Southern States co op.