Hay is a very important part of any winter feeding program. It is used to supplement cattle’s nutritional needs when forages become dormant. However, when it comes to feeding harvested forages you need to know what you have in order to know what to feed.
When it comes to hay, as with any other feed, quality is important. You must know what is being provided in order to know what needs to be supplemented. Along with that, the overall quality will dictate just how much you will need to provide in order to do the job. With lower quality, you will need to provide more thus making it more expensive.
The key is to be as efficient as possible here. You will need to find that delicate balance between better quality and lower price. On top of that with the conditions that we have experienced this past year finding high-quality hay can be a little difficult.
Protein supplements are often needed during the fall and winter months. This is because during this time most of your tame pasture forages go into dormancy. When this happens things like their protein content will go down.
Nutrition is a big factor affecting your herd’s health during the cold winter months. In order to meet this need producers should plan ahead when it comes to their fall and winter forages. There are many factors to consider when figuring out how much hay will be needed.
Hard to believe that we are almost to September. which means that summer is almost over. The temperatures are going to be getting cooler (somewhat) and the days are getting shorter. This is certainly a time of year when a lot of transitioning will be going on. Now is also the time to be thinking about what supplements to provide for your cattle.
Though the weather may not feel like it, still in the high 90s here, the fall season is upon us. The soon-to-be-changing weather reminds us of the changing season. Along with a new season comes a new need for supplementation for your pasture cattle. But did you know there is a way to use hay to improve your efficiency?
A protein tub is a very good way to provide extra nutrition when needed. One benefit is that once you have placed it in the pasture you don’t need to check it every day. This is helpful for those that may have a job back in town.
Sulfur for cattle tends to be a bit of a dividing subject for most producers. When it comes to this subject it generates a love/hate relationship with cattlemen. There are ones who love them as well as swear by them, then there are others who feel they are a waste of money.
Breeding season puts a lot of demands on cows. During this time she is expected to provide adequate nutrition for her calf while her body recovers from giving birth. Then she is expected to get back into estrus just before she is bred again. All of this is expected to occur within 90 days after calving to maintain a yearly calving interval.
Drought is a normal part of the livestock production cycle. Dealing with dry periods and decreased feed supplies should be part of an overall management plan. The time to be making a decision on this is not when all of the hay is gone.
