Moultrie Scene January 2022 | Page 106

FARM NEWS

Winter Feeding Tips By Jeremy M . Kichler , UGA Extension , Colquitt County Extension Coordinator , jkichler @ uga . edu

Let ’ s discuss some winter feeding tips for area cattle producers . Grouping cattle according to nutritional needs will reduce feed costs and improve performance . Females should be separated into at least two groups : ( 1 ) calf heifers / replacement heifers / thin cattle ; and ( 2 ) mature cows in a body condition score of 5 or greater . The heifers and thin cows often need 0.5 to 0.75 % of body weight of supplement per day to maintain a body condition score above a five . MaturecowsinaBCS of 5 or greater generally need 0.5 % of body weight or less per day . If winter pasture is the supplement of choice , mature cows often require 2 to 3 hours per day of grazing compared with 4 to 6 hours for heifers and thin cows . The best way to eliminate waste is to store hay under a cover . Expect losses of 20 to 30 % for hay that is stored outside for six months before feeding . Hay feeding method can greatly reduce hay losses this winter . Feeding hay in rings results in losses of 5to6 % compared with losses of 10 to 15 % when using trailers or rolling out aonedaysupply . Using rings can save $ 10 to $ 15 per cow over a 150 day feeding period . Testing forages for nutrient content can reduce feed costs by supplementing only the nutrients that are deficient in the forage , maintaining acceptable performance , and
planning forpurchasing supplements . Anutrientanalysis will determine the crude protein , TON , and relativeforage qualityofhay . These numbers can be used to determine whatsupplementifany is required . Alactating cow requires about 11 % protein , 58 to 60 % TON , whereas , a drycow needs only 8 % protein and 55 % TDN . Arule of thumb to use forhay intake is a drycow will eatabout 1.9 to 2 % of body weightinhay daily and alactating cow will eatabout 2.4 to 2.5 % of body weightdaily . Cows will quickly increase or decrease hay consumption when differentqualityhays arefed . Aquick drop in consumption is a good indicatorthatlower-qualityhay is being fedand supplementation is required .
Cows must be in abody condition scoreof 5orgreater forhigh re-breeding rates to occur . Constantly monitor body condition to ensurecowsare in the proper body condition at the start of the breeding season . If cows areless than aBCS of 5at the start of the breeding season , lower pregnancyrates and longer calving intervals arealmost certain . Winter annual pastures arehigh in protein and highly digestible forages . Limit grazing about 3hours per daywill provide about 30 % of the nutrients acow needs each day . Aproblem with using winterannuals is thattherewill likely be little or no grazing at some pointduring the winter . Thebest quality hay should be fed at this time , along with supplements if needed .
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106 MoultrieScene JANUARY 2022