2. Table 2,which is based on TDN value of feeds,shows the price that could be paid for various HEFs in relation to the price of grass hay.For example,if good­quality grass hay costs $50 per ton delivered,you could In the fall, wet, cold conditions negate the natural insulation value of the hair coat … Dry matter intake, as a percent of body weight, can vary from 1.5 percent on straw to 2.75 percent on quality alfalfa hay. “Right now we’re burning up, and some are feeding hay now. You’re not locked into feeding hay,” he said. This figure included N,P and K, only without putting a value on minor and trace minerals or organic matter. "Unfortunately, cows aren't very good at eating only what they need," he said. Two options exist for grazing cornstalks — continuous grazing or strip-grazing. 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. This is the key. There are two potential problems with this scenario. “It seems that raising cattle and baling hay go hand in hand. If it's not possible to access cornstalks to graze, producers can also utilized baled cornstalks. 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. A case often seen is a producer who has a good haylage as well as a mature hay source. Use a 1:1 mineral. "But there are several things to consider when contemplating this decision.". Each cow requires a daily intake of 40 pounds of round-baled hay, which amounts to $1.61 if pricing hay at $80 per ton. (December 15, 2009) A: It depends. Average or better quality hay will meet the nutritional needs of most mature lactating cows, as will the 50:50 blend of hay and litter which contains surplus protein. In addition, producers must consider fencing options. In this situation the hay becomes expensive bedding for the cows. For roughage they're getting grass! Gunter SA, Cassida KM, Beck PA, Phillips JM: Winter-annual grasses as a supplement for beef cows. 3. The popularity of forage brassicas reflects the crops ability to produce large tonnages of high quality dry matter (DM) per unit area. In this situation the hay becomes expensive bedding for the cows. CAS PubMed Google Scholar 6. Cattle from multiple pastures can be managed to be totally confined, confined for a few hours, or free to enter and exit the structure as they please. Hay is the most commonly used winter feed for beef cattle, but it’s also the most expensive. “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. Depending on current commodity prices and availability, there is opportunity to winter cows using alternative energy sources to hay. For example; a diet for a 1,400 lb beef cow that was 28–30 lb of hay/day can be changed to 20 lb of hay plus 5 lb of grain (5/25 × 100 = 20% grain). In the upper Midwest a mature cow will eat approximately 3 tons of hay during a common 6-month winter-feeding period. Cattle can generally tolerate dustier hay than can horses, and can even eat a little mold without problems. 1999; 77 (Suppl 1):9. 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.". They feed a lot of cover crops that are put up as hay. They are easy to handle and require little equipment, facility, ... libitum hay diets fed in herds with ≥ 100 cows Shike said temporary electric fence is relatively inexpensive and takes minimal time and labor to put up. “If you have other uses for your pasture that will generate more money than that, then stockpiling forage is not the best option. "The wet spring, followed by an extremely hot and dry summer, reduced hay production even further. Subscribe http://goo.gl/F5u51e Hay or standing forage intake must be estimated in … "Grazing cornstalks and supplementing co-products is likely the most economical option in Illinois," he said. However, the rise in forage prices during 2007 has contributed to a dramatic increase in winter cow feeding costs. For a 150-day winter feeding period for 100 cows, this represents a $4,000 difference in total feeding costs. If hay is of decent quality, most of the cow's protein and energy requirements are provided hay, and no supplements are necessary. Otherwise, it’s the cheapest winter feeding method available.”. During the cold winter months when pastures contain scant forage, hay is the typical diet for cattle, horses, sheep and goats. Under cold conditions a minimum of ¾ to 1 pound of hay per 100 pounds of body weight is suggested along with grain being fed. But the dry, brown grass available in the winter does not have the nutrition necessary to maintain a cow … The upper limit for grain would be 15 lbs of hay plus 7.5 lb of grain (7.5/22.5 × 100 = 33% grain). They were also fed corn during days of snow cover, approximately 14 days each winter. 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. When it comes to supplementing cornstalks, it's important to consider protein and phosphorous levels. Prolonged drought last summer upset haymaking plans. Pasture land should also be fertilized, Loerch said, and by November or December, the land will be ready to support a herd. Cows on pasture. Crediting the fertilizer value of the hay back to the purchase price, a $40 1,000-pound roll of hay costs $22.75. This was 1st cut alfalfa we fed in this video. “With corn feeding, the cows come up every time they’re fed, the know you’re responsible for their feed,” Loerch said. 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. Forage was depleted by mid-February, after which the cows were put on the corn-based diet. Older cattle eat more per unit body weight than younger cattle. “Producers always assume they have to bale and feed hay.”. Keep hay or adequate pasture available for cows at all times. If you are running dry cows, then good stockpiled grass is sufficient even in a good snow. The ration can be cheapened by balancing it out with about 15 pounds of lower quality roughage such as non-legume hay, grass straw, or cereal straw. Since it takes time for the rumen to break the seed coat, whole corn delays the release of starch and spreads fermentation through the course of the entire day, providing energy so the animals only need to be fed once a day. 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. – Wintering cows in a year with bad hay or shortages of hay proves challenging to beef farmers. Hay is an energy source. "If you allow the cows access to the entire field, they will eat all the grain first. In the DL system, cows were fed daily with a feed wagon and tractor. Effect of Hay Feeding Methods on Cow Performance, Hay Waste, and Wintering Cost D.G. With so many factors, stocking rates can vary greatly. 2002, 80: 1157-1165. Grazing Rule #6: Use your pasture rotation during the growing season to prepare perfect pastures for winter grazing. Alternative feeding methods can reduce cost without affecting productivity, and August is … Previous Ohio State research shows that whole corn works better when the daily intake of hay per cow is limited to five pounds or less. — Wintering cows in a year with bad hay or shortages of hay proves challenging to beef farmers. A good kill in early winter – before lice affect cattle performance – will generally keep cattle free of these parasites until spring. Winter Cow Feeding Strategies Travis Meteer ... • Ideal: Feeding “cheap” feeds, with no waste, that meet cow requirements, and do not cause negative side-effects. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. However, Shike said it is still likely that with one cow per acre, a field could be grazed for 45 to 60 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. The mindset that beef cows should be fed hay in the winter eats up farm profits. “Favorable prices make this a good time to cull unproductive cows.” Burris said producers should calculate the amount of hay they need to feed cows through the winter. Landblom, * [email protected] G.P. If the hay is alfalfa that is average quality or better, it would also be a good protein source. , & no hay can be done in the DL system, cows are no than! For winter grazing forages, particularly kale and swedes, are the more common crops for... Fence allowing 1 hay and feed on hand for insurance if things did not go as planned ton of hay! Peas ) will reduce the need for a protein supplement with grass hay, whole corn also cattle! Early winter, so the price will go up they will eat all the grain first turn into links.. Depend heavily on winter annuals for forage during the winter-feeding months provides a Standing feed, ” said! 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