I have 40 cows and 1 bull that I have on average hay. I also keep 2 protein tubs out at all times. I am wanting to know what and how much to supplement them with as far as feed goes. I have been giving them 100 lbs of ground corn with some soy meal. This costs around $8.50 per day. What would be best in your opinions for me to do to keep them in shape. The bull gets around 5 lbs of this feed alone. I have 7 with calves. The others are being bred right now. Thanks
Winter feeding question
- Thread starter Pharmer
- Start date
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I have only loose minerals free chose and hay. I cake every other to every three days with a 36 % protein and 3 % fat peanut cake. My cows will get fat on this. I run on native pastures. Sounds like you re giving lost of energy to them so they should put on condition in my opinion and be OK. 20 cents a day plus what the tubs cost sound like to much to me. Thats nearly 3000(72/head) dollars per year if it were continuous feeding.
Scotty
Scotty
Pharmer":3d54awpg said:
Depends on what kind of average hay. If it runs 10-11% protein and they aren;t nursing calves, the hay, water, salt and good loose minerals is all they should need. If you're expecting extrememly cold wet weather, asome corn wouldn;t jurt them with the possible need for more energy. But slug feeding grain can screw up the rumen so they don;t properly diegest the hay.
With the hay your, feeding and protein tubs, other then water, salt and minerals they sure shouldn;t need anything else
dun
Dun mentioned "slug feeding." I heard a guy once suggest that you don't give over 3 or 4 pounds of corn to cattle/head/feeding if you have them on hay or pasture. As dun said it messes with their rumen and it actually hurts more than it helps. It is also very important once you start to give them the corn every day so their rumen finds a balance and stays there. Giving corn every other day isn't going to do much for them at all.
Susie David
Well-known member
When the temps drop into the teens we add a couple of pounds of corn to the diet, alfalfa grass around 12+. When it drops to 0 they are getting six to ten pounds of cracked corn her head, these are bred cows. Above freezing, a pound or two in the evening. Finishing steers is a different matter, we feed for 2.5#/day year round and the corn ratio changes with the approaching processing date.
