Other grains may also be possible substitutes for hay. Grains such as milo, oats, barley or wheat may be used in cow
Cattle
Cattle—colloquially cows—are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos taurus.
What do you feed your cows?
Cows were either fed around 11 pounds of whole shelled corn, 2.5 pounds of a pelleted supplement, and 2 pounds of hay (dry matter basis) or offered hay and a salt and mineral mix free choice from November to April. Hay was predominantly first-cutting orchardgrass testing around 72% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 9.5% crude protein (CP).
What is hay for cows?
Hay was predominantly first-cutting orchardgrass testing around 72% neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 9.5% crude protein (CP). Cows fed free choice hay ate twice as much feed resulting in double the feed costs compared to limit feeding the corn-based diet.
Should you feed hay or corn to your cows this winter?
While hay is often used to feed cows through the winter, current prices make corn a competitive option to feeding hay. Photo credit Troy Walz. Listen to a discussion of the content in this article on this episode of the BeefWatch podcast.
What is the best alternative to alfalfa hay?
Alternative feedstuffs used to decrease the dependency on alfalfa or grass hay include harvested corn stalks, millet hay, wheat straw, sorghum-sudan, cottonseed hulls, soybean hulls, wheat middlings, and corn gluten feed. Cottonseed hulls are low in protein (3.5 percent), but equal in energy to late cut grass hay.
What can you feed cattle instead of hay?
Corn is commonly used as a feed in finishing, or feedlot, cattle diets throughout the U.S. Whole corn-based diets can meet the nutrient requirements of pregnant beef cattle without adverse effects on production and, depending on the economics, may be provided at a lower cost than feeding hay (Loerch, 1996).
What is the best thing to feed beef cattle?
Best Healthy Feed for Beef Cattle1) Grain Supplement. Grain can get cattle growing quickly and can help cattle get fat. ... 2) Hay. Hay can provide every important nutrient for cattle, but it has to be picked at the height of its nutrient richness À” that is, before it becomes too dry. ... 3) Pasture and Forage. ... 4) Concentrates.
What is the cheapest way to feed cattle?
“Corn residue is one of the lowest cost forages on a cost per pound of energy. That's why mixing a high energy and protein feed like distillers' grains with a low quality forage like corn stalks is so cost effective. Distillers' is often a low-cost source of both energy and protein.
What grain is best for beef cattle?
CornCorn, oats, and barley are the primary grains fed to cattle. Oats, which has a lower energy value due to its high fiber content, is considered the "safest" grain in regards to potential digestive disturbances.
Is Cracked corn good for cattle?
Corn can be fed whole with excellent results, but cracking or rolling it will increase digestibility by 5-10%. Although this improvement in digestibility can be important, it may not be enough to pay for the cost of processing the grain.
Is alfalfa good for cows?
Alfalfa is recognized as one of the most nutritious forages available and is widely used as conserved forage (ex, hay, silage) in the diets of beef and dairy cattle.
How much grain should I feed my beef cow per day?
Cows will voluntarily consume about 2 percent of their body weight or 24 pounds per day. The 24 pounds is based on 100 percent dry matter.
Can cattle eat only grass?
While some cows can sustain many of their needs on grass alone, they are usually the non-lactating cows (i.e., cows that aren't producing milk). A lactating dairy cow has a high metabolism, and is very similar to a marathon runner or high performance athlete.
How much grain should I feed my beef cow per day?
Cows will voluntarily consume about 2 percent of their body weight or 24 pounds per day. The 24 pounds is based on 100 percent dry matter.
What do you feed a steer for slaughter?
For finishing beef cattle prior to slaughter, most are fed a mixture of ground, shelled corn or millet. These grains are inexpensive, nutritious and add fat to the meat to make it tender.
What do beef cattle eat?
Cows eat grass and hay. On a dry matter basis a cow will eat 4 to 5 tons of forage per year. As long as there is pasture for the cows to eat it is most economical to let them graze.
How much grain should I feed my steer per day?
The steer will consume roughly 15-20 pounds of hay per day or 2 percent of his body weight. Grain is added to the diet three months before taking the steer to the processor. The amount of time on feed can vary from 60-150 days. For a backyard steer, 90 days on grain should be sufficient.
What do cows eat?
Most of a cow’s life is spent eating grasses and hay. During the spring and summer, when the grass grows plentifully, beef cattle eat more pasture grasses. During the late fall and through the winter cattle are fed hay. In a perfect world, this rotation—grass in the growing season and hay through the fall and winter—would be enough.
What to do if cattle have insufficient forage?
With insufficient forage, cattle need feed. You should take action right away if you know that your herd’s grazing will be limited. You could simply reduce the number of cows in your herd, which would immediately reduce the amount of supplemental feeding the remaining cows require.
Why do cows need cubes?
Cattle Cubes. Cattle cubes help your herd maintain both their weight and condition because they are formulated to supplement fair and low-quality forage. Cattle cubes provide the protein, minerals, and vitamins a cow’s forage sometimes lacks. Cattle cubes come in several different sizes, making them easier for your cattle to eat.
Why is pelleted feed digestible?
Another reason pelleted cattle feed is more digestible is the thermal process used to manufacture it. The thermal process locks in amino acids and other nutrients, providing better nutritional benefits for your cattle.
What is textured feed?
Textured cattle feed is made from flaked corn, molasses, protein pellets, and several other energy sources. It is also fortified with macro and micronutrients, vitamins, and other natural ingredients. Because it contains molasses, textured cattle feed is often referred to as “sweet feed.” Today’s textured cattle feed, which uses less molasses than in the past, still provides an advantage; it makes the feed more palatable, which is good news for your cattle.
What are cattle cubes?
Cattle cubes come in several different sizes, making them easier for your cattle to eat. Most cattle cubes contain 20% crude protein but also can be found in higher protein percentages. TIP: To reduce competition among your herd, your best choice is to feed them with ground, free-choice cattle cubes.
Why is it important to have enough forage for cattle?
The quantity of forage available to your herd is paramount to their health and longevity. With insufficient forage, cattle need feed. You should take action right away if you know that your herd’s grazing will be limited.
What is the best diet for cows?
In many cases, the best alternative for cow/calf producers is to feed a limit-fed, high grain diet in dry lot or semi-confinement. The most expensive nutrient for a cow is energy (TDN). Table 1 shows the nutritional requirements and typical rations for beef cows – either a fall or spring calving cow where the calf has been weaned or a lactating cow producing 14 to16 pounds of milk per day (calves should be creep-fed). The initial reaction of many people evaluating these diets is that cows will not survive on that small amount of feed. But it is important to keep in mind that grain is a concentrated energy source with10 pounds of grain supplying the energy equivalent of 15 to 20 pounds of hay.
What is the best solution for cows and calf producers?
In many cases, the best solution for cow/calf producers is to utilize a limit-fed, high grain diet fed in dry lot or semi-confinement.
What to plant in spring forage?
Spring forage is always a premium. Small grains, such as cereal rye, triticale, or oats, can be used to fill the void of spring forage. In planning for next year, plant these varieties in August or September to provide forage the following spring. Keep in mind that nitrates may be an issue if the annual forage has been stressed (drought, wind, excessive soil nitrogen, shade, frost, certain herbicides, acid soils, low growing temperatures, and nutrient deficiencies), and be sure to have the forage tested for nitrates. Up to a threshold, high nitrate forages are consumable by diluting them with other feedstuffs and supplementing with energy (fact sheet 1.610, Nitrate Poisoning ).
Why is it important to plan for fall forage?
Planning for fall forages can be critical during drought years as lack of water and forage may force some producers to come off of the rangelands and summer pastures early. Planning in advance ensures that there is ample grazable forage available for the livestock.
How long does it take for a cow to become hungry?
Since intake on concentrate diets is restricted, cattle may appear gaunt and behave as though hungry, however, after 14 to 21 days, they will adapt to the reduction in feed intake.
Why do cows move to dry lot?
Diets for dry lot cows are formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of the co ws while minimizing feed costs. As a result, intake is generally limited, and more concentrate feeds are included to cheapen the diets.
What are some examples of unconventional feeds?
Examples include distiller grains, hemp pellets, or cull potatoes.
What hay is good for small ruminants?
Hay availability differs according to region of the country. Timothy hay is popular in the east and a grass hay is good for small ruminants. In the south, Bermuda grass hays are popular.
What is the best hay for ruminants?
Peanut and soybean hays can be very good hays for small ruminants. Vetches or pea hays, if available in your area, are legumes high in crude protein, too. Alfalfa is the gold standard. Small grain hays (wheat, oats) can be good if harvested before the plant begins to make a seedhead.
What to feed goats with corn stalks?
An alternative could be to feed the corn stalk bales and supplement with about 1 to 1½ pounds of alfalfa per head per day.
What is hay used for?
Hay is a substitute for forage rooted in a pasture. Younger animals have higher nutrient demand relative to total intake, so the highest-quality hay available should be fed to them. Mature sheep and goats can sustain weight on hay that is 7 to 9 percent crude protein and 52 to 55 percent total digestible nutrients.
What to do when you are low on hay?
If low on hay for feeding your livestock, try substitutes like corn stalk bales or another source of long-stem fiber. Sometimes nature gets the better of us and impedes our ability to stock up on hay to feed our livestock during the winter.
Do goats like green leaves?
Sheep and goats, by nature, prefer green over dead and leaf over stem. Nutrients in the plant are concentrated in green leaves, and the leaves are generally more palatable and digestible than the stems. If you are low on hay, try looking for another source of long-stem fiber.
Can goats eat corn stalks?
Depending your animals’ ages and your normal hay type, you may be able to substitute corn stalk bales. The corn stalk will likely be deficient in protein and energy. Sheep and goats will not eat much (if any) of the large stalks. Sheep and goats, by nature, prefer green over dead and leaf over stem.
Comments
We were unable to load Disqus. If you are a moderator please see our troubleshooting guide.
explore
AGCanadaTV: In Case You Missed It – Your National Ag News Recap for the week ending February 18, 2022.
What is the best way to limit feed hay?
Processing or grinding hay is the most efficient method for limit-feeding, but rolling out bales on frozen ground is also an option.
Why stack hay?
Stacking hay can help protect bales from water.
How long can cattle access round bale feeder?
Limiting cattle to 8-12 hours of access to the round bale feeder in a 24-hour window can reduce waste to only 10%.
How many feet per head for cows?
For mature cows, provide two linear feet per head to minimize competition at the bunk and create a uniform group.
Can you keep hay inside?
Storing hay indoors is the best option for avoiding spoilage. But if you cannot keep all of your hay inside, other strategies can also help reduce spoilage. Reducing spoilage reduces waste, so it is important to remember that the outer portion of a bale contains a large proportion of the total hay in the bale.
Is hay expensive to make?
Hay is expensive, even if you make your own. Avoiding waste can mean you don’t have to buy hay and could mean you have excess hay you can sell. Either way, using your hay efficiently results in more money in the long run.
Do cattle waste hay?
When given free choice access, cattle waste a significant amount of the hay available. Round bale feeders are a staple of feeding hay, but producers should consider limiting access to the feeders to reduce waste.
What do ruminants need to eat?
Ruminants require a diet that is at least 10% forage (pasture or hay) for a functional digestive system. A high-grain diet contains more energy than mature cows need. Although the cow's need for feed will be satisfied, she will probably gain weight on this diet.
What to feed forage in Willamette Valley?
Another option in times of forage shortages is to feed grass straw or grass screening pellets from the Willamette Valley. There are two things you should be aware of when buying grass straw:
What animals need supplemental protein?
But, if you are feeding animals with higher requirements (lactating cows and ewes, replacement heifers and ewe lambs) or using low-quality forage (poor quality hay or grass straw/screening pellets), you will need to add supplemental protein and energy.
How to slowly adapt animals to grain diets?
Slowly adapt animals to grain diets by substituting a few pounds of grain for a few pounds of hay.
How to conserve forage?
Feeding some grain is another way to conserve forage. Depending on the cost of grain and hay, it may or may not be more expensive. Slowly adapt animals to grain diets by substituting a few pounds of grain for a few pounds of hay. Every few days, increase the amount of grain in the diet until you reach the desired grain level.
Is alfalfa hay better than grass hay?
Usually higher in protein and energy than grass hay, it is sometimes available at a lower cost. Some rained-on alfalfa hay might meet the nutrient requirements of your livestock. Alfalfa may be fed at strategic times like after lambing or calving.
Is grain better than grass hay?
If feeding low-quality hay, using grain may cost less than using higher-quality hay (alfalfa or high-quality grass hay) to make up the additional nutrients required for satisfactory animal performance. Check prices carefully before choosing a ration.
