Is hay bad for cows?

Is hay bad for cows?

Timothy Hay for Digestive Health & Milk Production Timothy hay is recommended by many experts due to its ease on various animal’s digestive system as well as promotion of bowel regularity. Additionally, there have been scientific studies done that show Timothy hay is an ideal feed for pregnant or lactating cows.

Can you feed cows just hay?

Hay is the most commonly used winter feed for beef cattle, but it’s also the most expensive. Each cow requires a daily intake of 40 pounds of round-baled hay, which amounts to $1.61 if pricing hay at $80 per ton. So, unless you can get hay for $40 a ton or less, your most economical choice is corn.”

Do cows need hay everyday?

Grass hays will often be 7 to 10% moisture. If we assume that the hay is 92% dry matter or 8% moisture, then the cows will consume about 26 pounds per day on an “as-fed basis”.

Can cattle eat too much hay?

If the nutrient concentration is such that it meets the cow’s requirements, cows with unlimited access to this high quality hay, will eat more than they need. Over-eating a forage will likely not hurt the cow, but will increase feed costs. Cows over-eating grains is not a good situation.

Can cattle eat Mouldy hay?

The bad: Hay low in nutritive value may maintain cattle but so often needs a higher quality feed to supplement it for a modicum of production. The mouldy: Hay often contains mould, sometimes not easily seen, resulting in lost material, reduced quality and potentially health problems.

How many bales of hay does a cow eat?

For a cow needing 8,190 pounds of hay per year and a bale weight of 960 pounds, divide 8,190 by 960 for a yearly need of about 8.5 bales per cow. Multiply this by the total number of weaned cattle in your herd. For example, 45 cows multiplied by 8.5 bales per cow results in a total need of 383 bales.

How many bales of hay will a cow eat?

How long does a bale of hay last for one cow?

Thirty-six pounds of hay is close to one small square bale of hay per day, taking into consideration some waste. Conversely, feeding one large round bale of hay, to two or three steers or cows will last a few weeks.

What do cows eat besides Hay?

What Do Cows Like To Eat? 1. Hay 2. Barley 3. Grass 4. Dry feed 5. Grain 6. Oats 7. Salt licks 8. Wet feed 9. Cow favorite treats Weird things that cows can eat Some tips for saving cow feed cost Conclusion

What does cow like better hay or grass?

In cold weather, cattle do better if fed extra roughage (grass hay or straw), since they have a large “fermentation vat” (rumen). During the breakdown of fiber in the rumen, heat and energy are created. During cold weather you need to feed your cattle more roughage, rather than more legume hay.

What is the best type of hay to feed cattle?

Hay is usually the farmer’s next best choice for cow feed after pasture. There are three types of hay used to feed cattle: grass, legume and cereal grain straw. Timothy grass and bluegrass are among the most common hays in the United States, although there are a handful of others used in certain regions, according to Hobby Farms.

What is the best cattle hay?

Hay, especially good legume hay, will produce good beef and usually a profit. You will likely use about ½ to ¾ ton of hay in fattening out a steer or heifer. When it comes to hay, alfalfa is tops for beef cattle. It is the standard by which all other hay is judged.