The main consideration when feeding cows in winter is forage availability. A decent supply of native grass, hay, or stockpiled introduced pasture is sufficient for cows to survive through the winter. However, if forage is not readily available, feeding supplemental hay is an important option. Supplemental hay is often inexpensive and can be fed in high amounts if roughage is not readily available.
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Alternative winter-feeding systems
If you have beef cattle, you know how expensive winter feeding can be. Traditionally, producers feed their cattle hay, but there are alternatives that reduce feed costs and improve productivity. It’s not too late to start thinking about these options. If you haven’t started preparing your cows for winter yet, now is the time.
One option is to build a concrete winter-feeding structure. It will not only provide an easy place for the animals to graze during the winter, but it will also protect pastures from erosion and other damage. Another benefit is that producers can put out multiple days’ worth of feed at a time. These structures can even be used on multiple pastures, making them ideal for a variety of different situations.
Other options include bale grazing, which involves strategically placing hay bales throughout a field and using fencing to allocate the bales incrementally to the herd. For this system, fiberglass poles are used to secure the electric fence.
Nutritional requirements of cows during winter
The nutritional requirements of cows during winter are different than in the summer. Cows need energy for lactation, growth and digestion. They also need water to maintain their body temperature. While they can obtain energy from feeds, it is not enough to provide these needs. The lack of energy causes the animals to become unthrifty and thin.
It is important for cows to get the proper nutrition to ensure productivity. Failure to meet nutritional needs can lead to several adverse effects, including reduced body condition at calving, reduced colostrum quality and quantity, and poor lactation performance. Furthermore, cows with less than optimal body condition during calving take longer to cycle and are less likely to reach estrus and conceive.
Costs of supplemental hay
Supplemental hay costs can vary depending on how your cows are fed and the quality of the hay you buy. Some hay is comparatively high-quality, while others are not as good. However, the prices of supplemental hay are often more reasonable than those of pasture-grown hay. A comparison table is provided below to provide an idea of the average costs of supplemental hay for cows in the winter.
When determining the costs of supplemental hay for cows in the winter, producers should take into account how much hay they have and how much extra they need. They should also consider the waste, weed seeds, and other potential costs of purchasing more feed resources. Additionally, producers should consider the implications of selling off bred heifers or cows.
Grazing season extension
To extend the grazing season for cows in winter, producers must plan ahead. They need to work with a team of experts that includes a herd health veterinarian, nutritionist, and beef extension specialist. These experts will help producers determine which forages to feed and when.
Winter grazing for cows can reduce winter feed costs and increase production efficiency. It is also cheaper for producers than buying stored feeds. For example, for every week of extended grazing, producers can save an estimated $13 per cow in feed costs. Considering that the cost of a ton of hay can run upwards of $100 per ton, winter grazing is a good option.
Grazing season extension for cows in the winter can be achieved by using an early autumn stockpile of forages. Grazing pastures should be clipped to three to four inches of stubble and fertilized with 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer. Fertilization will optimize forage quality. After stockpiling for fall grazing, pastures should be allowed to regrow.
