supplements for poor hay quality

[nobody]

Because of the drought we are now feeding hay and it is basically filler, not much nutritional value. Add this to the high temps here, and we are needing to supplement the older cows that have calves on them. Does anyone have any suggestions on any type of supplements that can be fed to help this. Specifcally to older cows to help boost the quality of their milk.  They are getting a 50lb sack of cubes every other day split between the 5 of them plus minerals  free choice. Their body condition looks great but I don't think this is enough just by looking at their bags.  I have read about hay replacers and hay stretchers, does anyone have any experience with any of these?
thanks.

 

[Bradenh]

We are in grimes county and the best supplement we found for our old cows was the salebarn, calves did good on it too...... its just really a losing proposition at the time money wise, but purina has a red tub with some sort of minerals in it that the keeping cows are on, bart, my dad could help is out a lot on the specifics of the product but it is doing them really good considering the conditions.... ill ask my dad when he gets home in the morning

 

[bart]

We use the Purina wind and rain in the red tubs.... As everyone knows we are under tough conditions here in Texas. As showstopper stated we sold some of the older cows and calves. As if right now we are not feeding hay and the condition of cows looks good to me. We are feeding cubes 5pph 2 days a week.  I feel the wind and rain tubs help the cows to use what small bit of green they are getting which is not much. It is giving them minerals. We also give our cows Multi-min injections twice a year. Not real sure what is working. We have not had rain in a while and we are running out of water fast. Hope this helps the best thing we can do is pray pray for rain.

 

[BadgerFan]

One reasonable plan would be to wean the calves, cull hard on the cows and feed the poor hay to the remaining dry cows.  All studies I've seen say it's far better to put the feed directly into the weaned calf than try to run it through the cow first.  Dry cows should be capable of maintaining themselves on very poor hay.

 

[chambero]

We're all in the same boat here in TX.  Here's what we're doing:

Our cow herd starts calving at end of this month.  We don't feed any hay to them.  We still have standing dormant grass left over from last winter and what little growth we got last year.  We'll supplement them with a 23% protein "corn cake".  After they calve, we'll probably feed 3-4 lbs per cow per day until it gets cold.  We'll probably put creep feeders out to everything this year.  In my mind, the key issue is keeping your cows in good enough shape to breed back.

We brought 67 heifers to our town lot last night to begin calving out.  They are getting fed poor quality hay - some left over coastal bales from last year + some rolled up corn fodder we just bought (about 6% protein).  Most feed mills in the state are starting to make some lower cost loose feed for cows because a lot of people are going to have to feed they every bite they eat this winter.  Cost on those kind of feeds are probably in the $300 per ton range.  We'll supplement the hay to these heifers with 5-10 lbs of that kind of feed per day.

I know what everyone says about just selling your cows because you can't afford to feed them.  But do you realize what females are going to cost to buy back once it does start raining?  I bet you common, bred heifers and young cows will cost your $2000+ at the sale barn if it ever does rain.  It's a gamble either way. 

We did cull off every old and problem cow we had.

 

[BadgerFan]

Chambero, I hope it rains for you soon. 

 

[nobody]

We're all in the same boat here in TX.  Here's what we're doing:

Our cow herd starts calving at end of this month.  We don't feed any hay to them.  We still have standing dormant grass left over from last winter and what little growth we got last year.  We'll supplement them with a 23% protein "corn cake".  After they calve, we'll probably feed 3-4 lbs per cow per day until it gets cold.  We'll probably put creep feeders out to everything this year.  In my mind, the key issue is keeping your cows in good enough shape to breed back.

We brought 67 heifers to our town lot last night to begin calving out.  They are getting fed poor quality hay - some left over coastal bales from last year + some rolled up corn fodder we just bought (about 6% protein).  Most feed mills in the state are starting to make some lower cost loose feed for cows because a lot of people are going to have to feed they every bite they eat this winter.  Cost on those kind of feeds are probably in the $300 per ton range.  We'll supplement the hay to these heifers with 5-10 lbs of that kind of feed per day.

I know what everyone says about just selling your cows because you can't afford to feed them.  But do you realize what females are going to cost to buy back once it does start raining?  I bet you common, bred heifers and young cows will cost your $2000+ at the sale barn if it ever does rain.  It's a gamble either way. 

We did cull off every old and problem cow we had.

We have already culled hard also.....what is a corn cake?  Is it better to supplement with a feed or with something more like the corn cake or maybe a liquid feed?

 

[chambero]

Corn cake is a type of cube our local mill makes - they make a corn-based cake and a cottonseed meal based cake (much higher protein).

I have no experience with liquid feed.

If you have plenty of hay for filler, you are really just needing a protein supplement.  If you need to use feed to keep them full and not so hungry, then a lower protein, cheaper feed is probably best.

 

[nobody]

ok, thanks..

 

[showstick09]

Sorry to ask a question on your thread, but I am also from east Texas and our situations are about the same. I am completely out of grass, and my pasture is basically dirt. I am trying to limit how much I feed right now, because I am trying to save it for winter. I am supplementing with 27% cottonseed meal with salt, plus the basic loose minerals. Is what I am doing correct, or is that too high in protein?

 

[BadgerFan]

I am supplementing with 27% cottonseed meal with salt, plus the basic loose minerals. Is what I am doing correct, or is that too high in protein?

Depends how much of the cottonseed you're feeding.

 

[showstick09]

I was told to have it out free choice, so that's what I'm doing.

 

[showsteerdlux]

I wouldn't have it out free choice. That's way to hot.