Drought feeding suggestions

[PinkOil Princess]

Because hay is so expensive I have been feeing less. The heifers are also getting soaked beet pulp in the mornings. Any creative suggestions to add some nutritional value to their diet or any roughage replaces? Should I offer a protein tub?
They are not showing at the moment and won't see the ring again until about mid October. Both of them are about two months bred

 

[Dale]

I'll let somebody else advise you on what to feed, but feeding protein (protein tub) is not something I'd want to risk on bred heifers.

Several years ago we let a feed salesman talk us into feeding protein/mineral to a group of fall-calving mature cows.  Big mistake!  We had green grass with plenty of protein already.  With the same bull and same cows as previous years we had our first calving difficulties and had to pull calves that were HUGE.  Nutritionist told us to drop the protein from summer ration--we dropped it and that fall we pulled no calves and they were normal size again.  You live in droughty area so your conditions could be different--talk to local cattlemen, but in SW Indiana protein is not deficient in their diet this time of year.

 

[knabe]

almond hulls.  seen recent price of 210/ton.


fed it for a while as it went up from $160/ton.


cows and calves love it and will literally stampede to it.


we fed it with a walnut trailer that opened on the bottom and left a one foot trail. we fed enough so they would clean it up as the pigs will eat it once they find it and will tear up everything if you don't put a fence around the hulls.  it's routine for trucks to deliver it in bulk.


if you only need it for two head, you might get a trailer load somehow.