![]() With insufficient forage, cattle need feed. The quantity of forage available to your herd is paramount to their health and longevity. It’s both a quantity issue and a quality issue. When Do Cattle Need Supplementary Feed?Īs we’ve seen, various factors affect the nutrients and energy found in pasture grasses and hay. That’s why cattle need supplemental feed. In short, while your herd does get some nutrients and energy from grasses and hay, it’s often not enough. In fact, this lack of grazing time is in most cases a more significant cause of your cattle’s insufficient energy consumption than the low-quality winter pasture grass. The harsh weather also causes cows to graze far less. The problem is that several factors affect the protein and energy content of grass and hay, which change depending on the season and the sun.įor example, summer pasture grasses are high in protein at the beginning of the summer, but the protein content declines rapidly towards the middle of the summer.ĭuring a drought or in the winter, pasture grass is severely lacking in energy (calories). In a perfect world, this rotation-grass in the growing season and hay through the fall and winter-would be enough. During the late fall and through the winter cattle are fed hay. During the spring and summer, when the grass grows plentifully, beef cattle eat more pasture grasses. ![]() Most of a cow’s life is spent eating grasses and hay. Some require more feed and some need feed that provides more (or less) nutrients than others. Some cattle are easier to feed than others. In this article, we’re talking specifically about beef cattle (a.k.a. If you have these questions too, then read on. What they need is straightforward advice about what to feed their cattle, when, and why. Let me have your two cents if you wouldn’t mind.Cattle owners come to us every day needing simple, actionable advice about the different types of cattle feed that are available. This isn’t my main source of income and do have the ability to feed substantially if necessary. I’m really not looking to sell off unless it’s absolutely necessary. (I also have whole cotton seed available as well though it’s not that much cheaper than feed when I get it straight from the gin) From you guys that have been doing this a long time, what would your strategy be to work through the dry weather. a mixed feed or range meal as its labeled. When I talk to the local feed mill they tell me it’s really a matter of preference when it comes to feeding cubes to supplement vs. From what I have read/heard from some of the “experts”is to first remove and wean the calves that are over 100 days old to help with the consumption of the cows. I am wanting to supplement the hay with some feed on alternate days as it just isn’t cutting it. I have been fortunate in that I have not had to break out the hay during the summer until now. Our pastures are getting pretty thin as we live in the Hillcountry of Texas and have only received about an inch of rain spread over the last 3-4 months. ![]() Short background is I have 18 momma cows right now with 6 - 5 month old calves and 5 that are 3 months and younger. Been in the business now since 2015 and am always learning.
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