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By Tom Stanley, Extension Agent
Last week, this column covered the lingering effects of drought and the reality that many Rockbridge farmers are short on hay. The points covered last week were: 1.) If a round bale cost $50 per bale but the livestock stomp-on and soil 30% of it, it means the hay actually cost $70 per bale; 2.) If a round bale costs around $70 it is likely purchased grain or grain-byproduct is a less expensive alternative to feeding hay alone; and 3.) Grazing livestock have a fiber requirement and that fiber requirement can be met if they are presented daily with an amount of fiber equivalent to a little less than 1% of bodyweight (12 pounds for a 1,200pound cow).
For a point of reference, when livestock are given free access to hay they will typically consume 2 to 2.5% of their bodyweight (30 pounds for a 1,200-pound cow). This week’s column addresses the fact that many farmers simply do not have enough hay to support offering 25 to 30 pounds per head per day all winter.
Here are three steps to get livestock through the winter months when the hay inventory is limited.
First, evaluate your current hay inventory for quantity and quality. A lab analysis of the hay is the best way to determine the extent to which your hay can meet nutritional needs.
Second, develop a feeding plan that spreads the hay across the winter season but holds some in reserve against significant winter storms. Severe cold, snow, and muddy conditions can increase caloric requirements by 10 to 15% so having feed on standby and a plan to deliver it is essential.
Third, determine the extent to which purchased feeds needs to fill gaps. Some of the most cost-effective supplements are corn byproducts but these often require supplemental calcium (most often limestone) be included in the feed bunk because even a high-quality mineral lick may not provide all the calcium they need.
Meeting nutritional requirements of livestock with purchased feed likely will induce some “sticker-shock.” But it is important to keep in mind the alternative: emaciated stock that fail to take care of their young, shut-down reproductively, and loose valuable pounds for which the current market is paying handsomely.
In addition to purchasing the feed, the infrastructure has to be in place (feed bunks or troughs) to allow all the animals adequate access to the supplement so the socially dominant animals do not deny weaker animals what they need.
Livestock producers need to be prepared to market animals in order to cover costs and reduce feed demands. In the current cattle market, non-pregnant cows nine years of age or older are probably among the first animals to consider selling to cover high winter feed costs. If one visit from a veterinarian identifies two or three cows that aren’t pregnant that should be, marketing these open cows will easily pay the cost of the visit, reduce feed demand, and make a significant contribution to purchasing feed the other stock need in order to remain profitable.
For assistance developing a winter feeding plan customized to your situation, call Tom Stanley at the Rockbridge County Extension office at (540) 463-4734 or send email to stanleyt@ vt.edu.
