April 23, 2009
Snow storms drive overuse of hay in beef cow diets
US cattle producers are using more hay than usual to feed their animals during the cold weather, and they may soon have to look for feed alternatives as hay supplies dwindle.
Producers already struggling due to the winter''s extreme cold and heavy snow now face shortages in key roughages as they go through calving and await spring weather, said Greg Lardy, a beef cattle specialist of the North Dakota State University Extension Service.
The cold and snowy weather meant many cows consumed 30-40-percent more hay than normal to maintain body weight, with reports indicating hay supplies are tight in many areas of North Dakota, said Lardy, who added that other feedstuffs can be used to stretch short hay supplies.
Producers can use feed grains such as corn or barley or byproducts like DDGS, corn gluten feed, sugar beet pulp or barley malt sprouts, he said.
Research showed that depending on feeding method, relatively high levels of these products can be used to replace forage in diets and stretch tight hay supplies.
But feeding high-grain or byproduct rations would require careful ration management, and cows will feel hungry even when their nutrient needs are met. Consequently, tight fences are required to keep the cows in their pen or pasture if this strategy is implemented.
Cereal grains should be coarsely ground and fed on a daily basis to reduce the risk of digestive upsets and metabolic disorders. Producers should also balance minerals and provide adequate vitamin A when feeding alternative feedstuff.
Producers should also take care to meet the protein requirements of their cattle when feeding high levels of grain because the potential negative effects of starch on fibre digestion are greater when protein requirements are not met.