What kind of feed do you use?

[Gliderider]

For those of you that use feed, what do you use? I have my new highlands and they came a bit under weight.(I can see hip bones, tail head etc.... and if they were short haired, I'd probably be able to see some ribs. ) We have them on horse/cow sweeet feed, fescue hay (When I can get ahold of some, hay is scarce around here.) and free choice loose minerals (Formulated for this area) They are picking up weight slowly, and I know it will take time. But I have the choice to go to straight oats. A farmer close by grows them and feeds him to his horses, and swears by them, along with another neighbor/friend of mine. I know it's ok for my horses, but would it be ok/good/better for the cows? Just until they add some weight and the grass comes all the way in. They are browsing on the honeysuckle vines and have eaten all the small pine trees and the grass that is coming up slowly. Anyway, I was wondering what ya'll thought about switching to straight oats. Not rolled, steamed, or crimped, just straight oats.

 

[Gliderider]

I should also mention that one of the cows is 14 and that the only hay we can find right now is not great quality. It's good enough to feed it to my horses, but it's not great. The normal hay for this area is fescue, alfalfa is waaay expensive, as is timothy. Fescue and coastal is the main hay around this area. I won't feed coastal to the horses, and since we are getting ready to merge cows and horses, coastal isn't an option.

 

[BlackBaldyMan]

You keeping the cattle wormed?

 

[aplusmnt]

Oats are pretty expensive around here. Do you have a feed mill in your area? Maybe a custom mix would be cheaper, of some corn, oats soybean meal, cotton seed hulls? What are you paying now for the sweet feed? Have you priced other feed sources in your are such as cubes?

 

[backhoeboogie]

What I use:

For plain supplement, I use 20% protein range cubes for the cattle if I have to give them something. Giving them a little in the fall, winter, and spring occasionally enables easy capture in the coral.

In July and August that much protein puts too much heat in the cows in this Texas climate. I use occasional range cubes that are something like 12 or 14% to coax them in to corrals and such.

If the nurse cow has more than one calf on her I give her a 12% protein dairy feed in the summer months. Anything hotter than that leaves her panting from heat.

This past winter I actually had to buy a little hay (poor planning) and it was scarce and expensive. I bought some stemmy coastal so I supplemented. I used 40 percent cake and the cows began taking in more hay. This year I won't sell any hay until I have a 16 month supply. (lesson learned)

Steers that are going into the freezer are fed out with a custom grower/finisher, hay, and fresh water.

You have Highlanders. I wouldn't feed those thick haired critters anything over 12 to 14% protein and only in cooler months. Now that is just an assumption and I don't know diddly about the breed.

 

[Gliderider]

BBM- I've only had them about a month and we wormed them when they first got here. So yes they were wormed. I'll worm them again, this month since I think they need it.
aplusmnt- I know a guy that can make a custom feed. He isn't too far away, so that is an option. The sweet feed is $5.65 a 50# bag. The oats are $20 for a 250# to 300# barrel. I'll call the feed guy and see what he charges. I don't think we have any cubes around here. There's chopped forage that's cubes, and alfalfa cubes, but those are all extremely expensive, $10 to $12 a 50# bag.
backhoeboogie- I didn't realize that higher protein would affect the cows like it does the horses. I had a horse that was a hard keeper, and in the summer he would sweat like crazy. I didn't realize until after I sold him that is was because of the protein he was getting. Are oats high in protein?
These gals are suposed to thrive on next to nothing, but I want to get them up to a good weight first.

 

[backhoeboogie]

backhoeboogie- I didn't realize that higher protein would affect the cows like it does the horses. I had a horse that was a hard keeper, and in the summer he would sweat like crazy. I didn't realize until after I sold him that is was because of the protein he was getting.

My nurse cow (Holstein) will pant if she gets anything above 12 percent in the summer. Even the 12 percent had her going pretty hard in triple digit temperature. We had about 3 continual weeks in September when the temp was either over 100 or right at it. She would stand there panting and I would take coffee cans of water out of the trough the pour them on her to try to cool her down when I let her in with the calves. She would never flinch as I rubbed the water in. I had to limit her feed intake. It had me very concerned.

I have no expertise on this subject, but rather first hand experience with my own cow/cows. Maybe someone who knows will jump in here. With the hair you have on those Highlanders, I'd sure be considering protein intake if it were me.

I don't know what protein content oats have. I could google it but you could do that too. It may depend on the variety too.

 

[TheBullLady]

If you have a feed mill close by, they can undoubtedly mix you a ration that's cheaper than a bagged feed. We use a 10-11% mix that's milled locally. It's running $7.80 per 100 lbs.

 

[Bullbuyer]

Glide - I'd be really careful with the oats. I have used raw oats for sows that were constipated after farrowing. How they'd work on cattle - don't know. I think I'd go with everyone else's advice and look to the local feed mill for some custom mixed feed. Are you giving them any minerals ? How's your water source ? I think a lot of people really overlook the importance of clean, fresh water - even when penned up I've seen some nasty, dirty, water troughs.

 

[Diehard40]

Glide,
dang i thought those highland cattle could make it on next to nothing. ohh well
Really though
Don't know if you have one near by or not, but try Souther States cattle feed the 16% it isn't bad.
Corn Gluten if you can put your hands on it or pelleted soy hulls.
stop feeding that worthless horse/cow sweet feed.
-Lot of people feed bermuda to horses and have no problem, wouldn't think twice about it unless there is a history of chronic colic.
-Call your county extension agent in Franklin Co.
She can probably help since we are talking Highland cattle and horses. ;-)

 

[novaman]

Just curious as to why you want to feed oats. Oats is lower in energy and higher in fiber. If your looking to put condition on you would be much better off feeding barley or corn in my opinion. And just for your information oats is usually around 12-13% protein

 

[Gliderider]

Hey, Thanks for all the replies. I'll try to answer all the questions.

TTCLM- Around here that's a good price for sweet feed. Others run a bit higher.
Bullbuyer- That's why I was asking about the oats, I know they are ok for horses, but wasn't sure about cows. I am giving them free chocie minerals formulated for the area, and they have a 100gal water tank that I change/clean once a week. So they have good clean water all the time.
Diehard- I've been told they could live on next to nothing. I think once the grass and stuff come in they should be ok, I just wanted to put some weight back on them. I guess where they were, they were living on just plain nothin. I've got a SS in town, but their feed is pretty pricey. I have a horse that has colicked(sp?) in the past, so I don't want to take the chance. I've got a call in toe Martha(Our extension agent) and will ask her about everything.
novaman-I wanted to switch my horses and thought switching the cows would be easier and more economical to switch both. Mt sweet feed is 10% protein so the oats would be higher. I'll look into getting some barley or corn around here. I'm not sure if I can find some.

 

[Diehard40]

Glide,
SS cattle feed should be compariable to others, especially when you look at what you are getting. the medicated 16% heifer feed use to run around $5.50 a bag +- a quarter. Cheaper if they sell it bulk. Get a few 55 gallon drums and go get some. Martha should be able to help you out, not only with the cattle but also the horses.

 

[TheLazyM]

scandanavian and candain oats are 8% protein as is corn. the problem with feeding straight grain that has'nt been chopped or cracked, or rolled, crempt, alot of the grain runns straight thru thr cow with out being broken down and diguested. you come out better by mixing a folage in with it. say for a 2000lb mix i only use 300lb of oats. i guess you can say 6% oats, another 6% corn. i'll mix with soyhull pellets, cottonseed hulls, cotton seeds, corn gullten, wheat meeds. anything scrap i can find.

 

[sillco]

I should also mention that one of the cows is 14 and that the only hay we can find right now is not great quality. It's good enough to feed it to my horses, but it's not great. The normal hay for this area is fescue, alfalfa is waaay expensive, as is timothy. Fescue and coastal is the main hay around this area. I won't feed coastal to the horses, and since we are getting ready to merge cows and horses, coastal isn't an option.

Why want you feed coastal to horses? My horses lived entirely on coastal and grass. Now that was well fertilized coastal.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Lets see I feed bahia grass and bermuda grass, with bahia hay and coastal hay. Yep thats it grass.

 

[C HOLLAND]

Lets see I feed bahia grass and bermuda grass, with bahia hay and coastal hay. Yep thats it grass.

ENOUGH SAID Caustic,,,,,,same here

 

[Emgen]

If you want to feed -- an all-purpose 12% protein pelleted feed will do just fine. You can cut 50# bag feed costs about in half by purchasing from a feedmill in bullk. Call around and find a feed store that will fill your empty drums - typically you can get 300 lbs per 55 gal. Of course, native grass in NC should be their primary intake. Supplimenting 3-5 lbs will put some weight on them. Be certain that they are wormed and on good grass and you will see progress in less than 30 days.


Regards

 

[brownmule]

glide,let me know when you find the right mix for your highlands, that is what im working on too trying to keep the proten down i found a beef ration [mixed localy}that seems to work so far, havent been on it enough to see a big change in my ol momma cow, but she is looking better, the young ones are doing great. went last week end and got corral panels to build a round pen and getting ready to set post for alleyway, i know mine need worked up. but i think they just wasnt getting enough hay before now theres only four , and they have hay left, we put it all over the field, momma has to try every flake you put down, she follows me all over the field till i run out of hay LOL while the yearlings just pick a spot and munch, not sure but think ol momma might have a bun in the oven.. we let them out in the big field while we were working on fence this week end, you should of seen them.. running and bucking.. they end up wondering around down where we were working,they hung out for a while then went back to there field to lay down. im am very pleased with these highlands..im sure you will enjoy yours aswell.. Rose

 

[aplusmnt]

Lets see I feed bahia grass and bermuda grass, with bahia hay and coastal hay. Yep thats it grass.

Do you get that is cubes or pellets?