# FALL 2015 cattle feeding methods?



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I'm curious to see how every operation is feeding their cattle this fall. I know I'm central NC so everything will differ but I'm hoping to at least see regional comparison. I'm very unorthodox with my methods and want to see if anybody is as crazy as me.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

What makes you unorthodox?

I am simple. I have a grass fed herd. I feed the hay I make. Clover, alfalfa, grass mix. This year heavier on the grass.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I'm feeding hay while 70% of my pastures are stockpiling.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Used to put hay out when pastures were running out Jan/Feb. Then I started putting hay out ahead of cold nights before my actual winter hits. Now I'm putting hay out in October and letting them graze a couple of pastures. My hope is to prolong their natural grazing instinct and give the pastures a fighting chance to recuperate. Note: I intensively rotate pastures.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I was expecting something completely different. What is normal for one guy is abnormao for the next. You have to figure out if that is what works best for you. If ao? All the better!


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

We drill winter grazing and feed hay free choice. I usually buy a few loads of brewers grain, especially if the hay supply is not what I want going into winter.

Last year I bought a hay processor and put the rolls out in windrows. I like that better than using hay rings. I can spread a roll of hay out over 100 yards and let everyone eat at the same time. I believe it helps with the more timid cows and smaller calves. No one has to wait their turn at the bale feeders.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Moose, what did you think I might've been doing?

I know it's not an extreme measure but it is unorthodox for my area. I have more grass than most of my neighbors. It took guys awhile to even rotational graze. Some guys have already started winter feeding solid hay because they have absolutely no grass and it's only turning to dirt. It was always feed hay when you run out of grass.

I'm actual taking advantage of having slightly more forage. Kind of like the saying,"Gotta spend money to make money."


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Tim/South said:


> We drill winter grazing and feed hay free choice. I usually buy a few loads of brewers grain, especially if the hay supply is not what I want going into winter.
> Last year I bought a hay processor and put the rolls out in windrows. I like that better than using hay rings. I can spread a roll of hay out over 100 yards and let everyone eat at the same time. I believe it helps with the more timid cows and smaller calves. No one has to wait their turn at the bale feeders.


I've thought about a hay processor for my rounds, maybe not a chopper but a side unroller to run inline bunks.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

BWfarms said:


> Moose, what did you think I might've been doing?
> I know it's not an extreme measure but it is unorthodox for my area. I have more grass than most of my neighbors. It took guys awhile to even rotational graze. Some guys have already started winter feeding solid hay because they have absolutely no grass and it's only turning to dirt. It was always feed hay when you run out of grass.
> I'm actual taking advantage of having slightly more forage. Kind of like the saying,"Gotta spend money to make money."


I was thinking along the lines of what u were feeding.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

We feed holsteins and we push them hard on corn. I thought about putting more ruffage in front of them a year ago but stayed with the hard fed corn. Thtas what our buyer wants anyways. Keep a bale of lower quality grass in front of them to keep them in check. Not junk hay, but not real good stuff as I don't want them walking away from the corn.

We feed them through stuffers. A lot people probably think tmr is the way to go tho. We do a fair amount of hay and straw and row crop so stuffers work well for us in our busy times. If I didn't raise my own corn I probably wouldn't be feeding holstiens.


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## JMT (Aug 10, 2013)

bbos2 said:


> We feed holsteins and we push them hard on corn. I thought about putting more ruffage in front of them a year ago but stayed with the hard fed corn. Thtas what our buyer wants anyways. Keep a bale of lower quality grass in front of them to keep them in check. Not junk hay, but not real good stuff as I don't want them walking away from the corn.
> We feed them through stuffers. A lot people probably think tmr is the way to go tho. We do a fair amount of hay and straw and row crop so stuffers work well for us in our busy times. If I didn't raise my own corn I probably wouldn't be feeding holstiens.


What is a stuffer?


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

BW, to me stockpiling grass and grazing as long as you can into winter is the best way to feed cows. I think your on the right track to lowering your inputs and putting more money in your pocket. If I lived in an area that didn't get 8 feet of snow and bitter cold temps/wind, I'd definitely be doing more of that. Cows can graze it a lot cheaper than we can feed it to them.

We generally try and graze our cows until dec 1st then start feeding hay daily until spring. I've tossed some ideas around of grazing more corn stalks or planting cover crops to graze but lack of trees for winter protection has stopped me from that for now.

A few guys around here are trying bale grazing. I can see pros and cons to bale grazing.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

JMT said:


> What is a stuffer?


Just another word for a self feeder. Some people call them steer stuffers. They usually hold a few tons a piece and are filled with dry corn or a dry corn ration. Once filled they usually don't need filled for another week or two depending on how big they are. We build our own out of wood and cover it in siding so the stiens don't decide to eat the feeder as well.

We still check them everyday, bed twice a week and scrape once a month. So it's not just fill em and forget em.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

IH, I'm well aware of the differences of the Dakotas to here, relatives ranch up there. One had okay success with turnips on a north facing field with line of trees to the south. I know for the most part guys up there yard them near the house as soon as the snow flies. I'm not a big fan of bale grazing, just ends up as too much waste. Same as unrolling out in the pasture.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

BWfarms said:


> Same as unrolling out in the pasture.


Before I began drilling ryegrass here at home again I unrolled round bales. I liked it because it spread the hay out. I would unroll 2 in the morning and 2 or 3 in the afternoon depending on how much they ate. The cows would graze the bales all day.

Now that I am drilling winter grazing again I use the bale processor because it chops the hay and they seem to clean it up a little better.


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## Redbaler (Jun 10, 2011)

Just getting ready to start building electric fence around a stalk field today. That should hold them till Xmas then it will be time to hay.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

On a group of cattle I find I get the least amount of waste by un rolling the bales. two secrets to doing it. Only un roll what the cattle will eat. It does not work in mud. But if done right very little waste. But it looks like they waste a lot. Go out with a rake to a bale feeder and than after they clean up what was un rolled. There will be a huge difference.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I have a friend who unrolls hay. His cows eat about a roll per day. He unrolls 3 bales every 3 days. He wastes more hay because the cows sleep on the hay they do not eat.

He says he got the unrolling idea from me. I explained that I only unrolled each day what they could eat. He said it was too much work to feed hay every day. I just shake my head.

I actually enjoy feeding hay every day. It is a relaxing, non stress type of farm work.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Tim-gotta remember to fit management style.

I haven't ever heard a disadvantage of mig. And moving cattle 2 to 8 times a day. Seems to he the way to go. Unless you don't have the time to move them that often.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

In a perfect world all summer we would all move our electric fence at least once if not more per day.

Not gonna happen here.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I have unrolled, the only benefit of unrolling is seeds fall in the unrolled area. *At least for me*

I'm running with the concept of lean manufacturing. Just the systematic process of eliminating waste. My number one goal is maximize feed to achieve no more than 2% waste.


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