Alfalfa hay is a high-protein ration for cattle. The high protein content increases the percentage of fat in the milk. Stocking rates are high. This ration is an excellent choice for rotational feeding. Here are some facts about alfalfa. Read on to learn about the benefits of this ration. And don’t forget to read about the benefits of alfalfa hay.
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Rotational feeding is best with alfalfa cow feed
Despite its high energy content, alfalfa is not poisonous to cattle. However, it is high in soluble protein, which has been linked with bloat in cattle. However, bloat can be managed and cows can be moved to pastures containing lusher forages over time. In addition, overly-hungry cows can overeat alfalfa. However, be careful: if your alfalfa stand has a mixture of other plants, the feed may be poisonous to your cattle.
Alfalfa is high in protein, making it a suitable choice for beef cattle. It can increase weight gain and improve the condition of cows. However, it must be fed in moderate amounts, as excess intake can cause bloat. To reduce bloat, feed alfalfa grazing to cows in rotational pastures. While there are some technologies available to reduce the risk of bloat, there is no guarantee of alfalfa grazing under proper management conditions.
Stocking rates are high
Alfalfa cow feed is usually high in stocking rates because it is so energy dense. However, stocking rates should be adjusted according to the growing conditions, such as temperature and moisture. Grazing stockers should not graze alfalfa that is less than 6 inches tall. The best way to control stocking rates is to divide the field into several paddocks and then adjust the stocking rate as necessary.
While grazing provides about 40 to 50 percent of the dry matter intake, it does not provide the rest of the dry matter that cows need. High-producing cows may need an additional source of rumen-undegradable protein. To capture this portion of the alfalfa, use high-starch feeds. These will stimulate the production of rumen microbial proteins. Other high-fiber sources can be soybean hulls and whole cottonseed.
Alfalfa hay ration contains a large amount of protein
The first cut of alfalfa hay is generally the highest yielding and highest-quality. It will take some preparation before harvesting to make sure the quality is good enough to feed cows. Once the crop is harvested, the cows will need a high-quality ration to gain the most benefits. Adding oat hulls to the ration will increase its digestibility and protein content, and will improve animal performance. However, oat hulls are dusty and unpalatable and must be mixed with moist feed to be acceptable for cattle.
High-producing dairy cows need a high-quality alfalfa hay ration to gain the most benefits from their diet. It provides energy, protein and minerals that enhance milk production, maintain low feed costs, and maintain proper rumen function. Michigan State University Extension notes that rations containing high-quality alfalfa are better for cows than those containing low-quality alfalfa hay.
It increases percentage of fat in milk
Adding alfalfa to cow diets increased milk production by about 50%, while reducing body weight gain and decreasing the percentage of fat in the milk. The inclusion rate of alfalfa had minimal effects on productivity, although the addition decreased the percentage of body weight gain and increased the percentage of milk fat. Besides that, increasing the alfalfa content in the diet did not have a detrimental effect on the overall nutritional value of the diet.
The study also showed that cows on alfalfa hay rations had higher butterfat levels than those fed with other diets. The alfalfa hay rations increased the proportion of milk fat by about 3.3 percent. It was observed that cows fed with alfalfa hay rations were older, compared to those on rations containing other feeds.
