– Wintering cows in a year with bad hay or shortages of hay proves challenging to beef farmers. 2002; 80:1157–1165. Number 8860726. 1.Analyze hay for feeding value and develop a supplementation program to meet energy, protein and mineral requirements. And it’s the tradition, the mindset that beef cows should be fed hay in the winter, that gnaws farthest into the farm budget book. ble protein, which is adequate for wintering most mature pregnant beef cows. Looking for a more cost-effective way to feed your cattle this winter? “If corn is used to provide most of the energy, then the intake has to be restricted so the cows don’t get fat,” Loerch pointed out. Portable water tanks will work, but if you plan to graze into the winter, then you will want to consider a heating source for the water. For a 150-day winter feeding period for 100 cows, this represents a $4,000 difference in total feeding costs. Trials used round-baled grass hay, whole corn and stockpiled pasture, Loerch said. Keep hay or adequate pasture available for cows at all times. Cattle on this corn-based nutrition program also need to be fed a small amount of hay, since forage is essential to maintaining a healthy rumen. Estimating forage usage by cows is an important part of the task of calculating winter feed needs. According to Loerch’s research, a daily diet consisting of 12 pounds of corn, 4 pounds of hay and 2 pounds of a protein and mineral supplement provides the same number of calories as 40 pounds of hay – at a cost of only 84 cents per cow per day. But if used, rings can save much needed and valuable hay during the winter-feeding months. Supplementation often is necessary to meet nutrient requirements of the animals when low-quality forage is fed. Shike said one of the best alternatives available to Illinois cattle producers is the use of cornstalks and co-products such as distillers grains, corn gluten feed and soyhulls. Older cattle eat more per unit body weight than younger cattle. A rough estimate would be about 2 percent of their bodyweight for about 120 days. But there is good news: Alternative feeding methods can reduce cost without affecting productivity, and August is the time to start thinking about them. Lardy, †R. Fast, ‡ C.J. Recent analyses show that hay costs between $0.02 and $0.07 per pound of dry matter; usually more than double the cost for the same amount of nutrients from pasture. Prolonged drought last summer upset haymaking plans. Hundreds of Auction Advertisements for Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The cubes cost $12 to $15 per cow. Several studies have shown that dependent on market prices, using corn grain, corn gluten feed or distillers’ grains, the cost of a pregnant cow’s wintering ration can be reduced when displacing hay. Various forages are used as the primary feed source for wintering cows. Landblom, * [email protected] G.P. If you are running dry cows, then good stockpiled grass is sufficient even in a good snow. Depending on current commodity prices and availability, there is opportunity to winter cows using alternative energy sources to hay. “If you have other uses for your pasture that will generate more money than that, then stockpiling forage is not the best option. Adjust feed for cold weather How much hay or supplement a cow needs depends on weather conditions, cow age and body condition, available pasture or crop residue, and reproductive stage of the cow. In addition to feeding higher levels of grain as a substitute for hay, heavy grain feeding may be appropriate when relatively high rates of gain are desired for reconditioning thin cows. Hay or standing forage intake must be estimated in … Registered in England and Wales. Loerch also tested the profitability of stockpiled pasture as a winter feeding system. (You can contact Andrea Myers at 1-800-837-3419, ext. Producers can benefit from finding a way to use these products in cow-calf operation rations, especially in cases where extra protein is needed such as with poor quality hay. "Much of the work we have done at Illinois has focused on lactating cows in late winter and early spring before we can go to grass," he said. Alternative feeding methods can reduce cost without affecting productivity, and August is … Not only will hay be in high demand in the Midwest and Illinois, but extreme drought in the Southwest will also increase the national demand for hay.". Replacing hay in your ration with corn this winter could be beneficial. “If the snow gets too deep, the cows will need supplemental feed,” he said. The second concept to keep in mind is organization. But the dry, brown grass available in the winter does not have the nutrition necessary to maintain a cow … A good kill in early winter – before lice affect cattle performance – will generally keep cattle free of these parasites until spring. ", https://www.farmprogress.com/sites/all/themes/penton_subtheme_farmprogress/images/logos/footer.png. Just don’t turn a whole herd loose on the whole area. Raising cattle without hay Discussion in 'Cattle' started by adamtheha, Jun 17, 2007. You can easily double your hay usage, if your method of feeding is to place bales out in the pasture or lot without any type of feeder. “Because hay only has about half the energy value as corn grain, the break-even price for hay on an energy basis would be approximately $40 a ton. However, litter supplementation will also reduce wintering costs for this class of beef cows. Avoid grinding or processing bales if poisonous plants are a concern. In addition, producers must consider fencing options. For example, at current price levels, the main ingredients (alfalfa hay and cereal straw) in ration #2 are estimated to cost $1.74 per cow per day compared to ration #5 (Cereal Straw and Greenfeed) at $1.47 per cow per day, which is a 16% difference. Farm and Agriculture News, Local Market Prices and Crop Reports, Columns and Commentary. Gunter SA, Cassida KM, Beck PA, Phillips JM: Winter-annual grasses as a supplement for beef cows. Hay is the most commonly used winter feed for beef cattle, but it’s also the most expensive. He's never put a dollar value on the near elimination of hay from his ranch, but researchers have put a value on it. day, without supplemental grain. Spring-calving cows have the lowest nutritional needs in the fall and early winter, Shike said. Preparing pasture. wintering beef cows, and detailed descriptions of each point follow. Google Scholar 5. Depending on the quality, it could also be a good protein source, but in most situations hay would be fed to meet the energy needs of the beef cow. This week’s snowy weather has reminded cow calf producers that winter hay feeding has begun or will begin shortly. Two options exist for grazing cornstalks — continuous grazing or strip-grazing. They all figure 35 acres to graze year round and have grass through the snow and just the fact that you have to KNOW you can get through if your plan is to spend nothing. "For beef producers in Illinois, it just makes sense to consider cornstalk residue and corn co-products. Such strategies may be of particular relevance during periods Choice is corn. ”, cows were grazed on 5-acre paddocks for 17.. Could be beneficial whole-shelled – not ground – corn is recommended for the cows increased. Seen is a “ no go. ” during our wintering cows without hay study, we always had hay and range cube during. 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