Before feeding ground hay to cattle, make sure that you have a complete understanding of the nutrient value of this material. Leaving this layer on a pasture continuously for a long time can foster pathogens and disease. This can lead to health issues for cattle, especially during the winter months. Read on to learn more about the nutrient value of ground hay for cattle. Also, read about the dry matter losses and parasite risk before feeding it to cattle.
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Site selection
There are several methods of choosing suitable grounds for feeding ground hay to cattle. The oldest is visual appraisal. The appearance of the forage is assessed by its color, leafiness, maturity, and presence of foreign material. Other methods involve smell and feel. The feel refers to how coarsely the stems are and the odor indicates if weeds or mold are present. The problem with visual appraisal is that it is difficult to communicate this information in terms of nutrient content.
Nutrient analysis before feeding hay to cattle
When it comes to feed, a thorough nutritional analysis is a must. The amount of energy in a feed and its overall digestibility are two important considerations. The CP percentage, or crude protein, is another key element. The analysis can also determine the feed’s total digestible nutrients. Depending on the size of the animal, a CP percentage can be as high as 99%. CP is a major ingredient in a diet, but it does not replace other nutrients that a cow needs to grow and thrive.
In addition to determining the amount of energy and protein in the feed, a nutrient analysis can also tell the producer how to adjust the amount of each ingredient to match the nutritional needs of the animal. By determining the concentration of each nutrient in a feed, animal producers can optimize the amount of hay that they feed their livestock. However, the nutrient content of hay can vary widely depending on its composition.
Dry matter losses
There are two main types of dry matter losses when feeding ground hay to cattle: nutritional quality and physical loss. In this article we’ll discuss both of these types of losses and what can be done to minimize them. We’ll also discuss the impact of windy weather on DM losses, as well as other factors that affect ground hay quality. In general, dry matter loss is the result of microbial activity and mold growth.
The amount of moisture lost during storage varies widely, depending on the method used to bale the hay. A higher moisture content means a shorter storage period and less loss of DM. Cutting hay early in the day maximizes solar drying, when plant sugars are lower. Mechanical and chemical conditioning crushes stems to let water escape. The windrow should be wide to maximize exposure to sunlight.
Risk of parasites
Feeding ground hay to cattle can introduce parasites. Because parasite larvae can live for 120 days in cool conditions, feeding hay to cattle during these periods can lead to the development of dangerous parasites. The most effective way to eliminate parasites is to keep pastures healthy and rotate livestock from one paddock to the next. While pasture rotation reduces parasite levels, the life of an infective stage of a parasite is longer than the lifespan of a healthy pasture.
The type of pasture you feed your cattle will determine the level of parasites in the herd. In addition to providing nutrients for your animals, ground hay contains essential vitamins and minerals that promote immune system development. During the winter months, parasite density is highest. If pastures are overstocked, the likelihood of an infestation will increase dramatically. Therefore, fall grazing is recommended. And, as for the time of year that cattle are grazing, avoid feeding ground hay to them during winter.
Cost
The cost of feeding ground hay to cattle can vary from operation to operation. Typically, a 40-cow operation produces all of its hay. This makes hay feeding more expensive, but the net cost is still less than $7 per ton. This is because the price of hay per ton is based on the average nutrient value of the hay. If the cost of feeding ground hay to cattle is $60 per ton, the profit would be $7,000 lower on a 100-acre farm.
Using the same method of feeding ground hay to cattle results in less waste. On average, 20 percent of the hay is lost from unrolled bales while only five percent was wasted when fed daily. The loss of hay per ton is almost double that of pasture hay, and it requires an expensive investment in equipment and labor. Furthermore, over 50% of the hay produced is wasted due to improper storage and feeding practices.
