Winter feeding?

[willow bottom]

In my part of the country most folks feed cheap filler hay and protein tubs to get the cows through winter. I feed hay and range meal and occasionally a tub or 2.I'm considering feeding cotton seeds this winter. Just wondering what other folks do and what works for them.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Good hay in hay cradles. If the cows are maintaining, the hay is fine. I usually plant a little wheat or oat patch. When the stand is good I let them graze that.

 

[Logar]

We put good quality hay in round bale feeders under a open sided shelter to keep the weather off. We let them free choice and do not use any grain. Generally we do not use grain of any kind. However if we can get red dog - corn cleanings - we will give them some of that - about half a gallon per head - we just feed it out on the grass or the snow and let them lick it up.

It does not matter where you are or what time of year - the higher the quality of the feed, the better the health maintenance, growth, health and unborn calf development. Money spent on growing and providing good feed is seldom wasted.

Best to all.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I feed good hay and almost no protein tubs. I also feed whole cotton seed to lactating cows and also heifers. WCS is kinda labor intensive but in my experience it's one of the best feeds you can feed. I usually feed at a rate of around 6 pounds per head every other day. Sometimes every day during a cold spell. Makes a ton of difference in my cows.

 

[Silver]

Our cows get hay, haylage, oat silage, unrolled on the snow all winter (200+ days). And TM salt. That's it.
The replacement heifers get the same plus 4-5 lbs of mixed grains (barley, oats, wheat, canola etc.) to help grow them out and get them used to a human presence.

 

[Franke]

Our cows get hay, corn stalks, corn silage, and free choice mineral. Heifers get free choice hay, mineral, corn silage, with some corn, oat, protein mix top dressed. We've had weeks were the temp isn't above 0 degrees Fahrenheit for highs though (granted that isn't normal).

 

[Silver]

We've had weeks were the temp isn't above 0 degrees Fahrenheit for highs though (granted that isn't normal).

I remember my telling us kids: "You kids get outside and play, it's almost 0 out there it might not last!"

 

[Aaron]

In my part of the country most folks feed cheap filler hay and protein tubs to get the cows through winter. I feed hay and range meal and occasionally a tub or 2.I'm considering feeding cotton seeds this winter. Just wondering what other folks do and what works for them.

I am like most folks around you. Hay is mediocre at times and will be supplemented with protein tubs when the manure tells the story. Mineral and salt is always available. I just try to get cows through the winter and maintain the condition they had in the fall. The poorest ones may lose ground, may slip their calf and get a ride - but that is simple selection of the fittest.

I haven't seen prices high enough yet to justify the added expense and complication of producing feeds that would have been considered prime for a dairy operation 30 years ago. Changes are made far more often to cattle feeding regimes to keep up with the neighbors than anything else.

People try to reinvent a cow's purpose and memories are short of low cattle prices, high input prices and high interest rates.

 

[Logar]

People try to reinvent a cow's purpose and memories are short of low cattle prices, high input prices and high interest rates.

How true.

L

 

[Caustic Burno]

In my part of the country most folks feed cheap filler hay and protein tubs to get the cows through winter. I feed hay and range meal and occasionally a tub or 2.I'm considering feeding cotton seeds this winter. Just wondering what other folks do and what works for them.

I feed good hay and almost no protein tubs. I also feed whole cotton seed to lactating cows and also heifers. WCS is kinda labor intensive but in my experience it's one of the best feeds you can feed. I usually feed at a rate of around 6 pounds per head every other day. Sometimes every day during a cold spell. Makes a ton of difference in my cows.

Most cattle can handle 7 or 8 pounds a feed and I use it. Just be aware that it can cause issues if over fed. This is where limiting comes in as it can cause heart issues in younger cattle as well as infertility in bulls.
It's excellent supplement feed I use just know it's limitations from gossypol toxicity.
Every herd has its hogs.