We normally feed ours just good silage once they’ve calved in the spring, having been on hay pre-calving. Good chance we’ll be short of silage in the new year. Assuming I can’t get hold of more silage any suggestions what I could add to good barley straw (which I have plenty of) to replace the silage?
Feeding sucklers post calving
- Thread starter whatnow
- Start date
muleman
Member
Me too, although i think i will supplement with an allrounder type nut rather than pay crazy money for silage. Surprising how much less silage a cow will live on if she gets a double handfull of cake and its got to be easier and cheaper than £40/bale silage
That was my thinking but I was hoping someone would confirm it could be done and an idea on quantities and qualities of the feeds needed?
If I use barley straw for belly fill, what do I need to add and how much?
Any idea how the price of molasses currently compares to a blend or nut? Would molasses and straw be sufficient post calving? I’ve never used it but thought it was more suitable pre calving?
Presuming this is calved cows needing feed before grass is away.
If it's kind enough that they're out, and have plenty of room, straw will still need some boost, as said above.
As grass starts, straw might suffice as belly fill, but it'll do milk yield no good.
Breed/condition/space if outdoors?
Fit Galloways/highlanders on plenty of free draining lowland pasture mightn't need much at all.
Plain conti's, reliant on what's in the feeder? A different story
If they're indoors, in milk, and on just straw, deffo get some hard feed/extra in em, or you're in a world of hurt.
If this is deffo coming down the line, I'd be talking to a merchant about cost of getting big square bale hay delivered in.
Scan everything now......hang up anything that needs to go.
I might even be asking myself some hard questions about jagging anything in calf that I don't like..........
I think I've just enough, as long as we can find some empties in a scan this month. Culls are a good trade!
If it's kind enough that they're out, and have plenty of room, straw will still need some boost, as said above.
As grass starts, straw might suffice as belly fill, but it'll do milk yield no good.
Breed/condition/space if outdoors?
Fit Galloways/highlanders on plenty of free draining lowland pasture mightn't need much at all.
Plain conti's, reliant on what's in the feeder? A different story
If they're indoors, in milk, and on just straw, deffo get some hard feed/extra in em, or you're in a world of hurt.
If this is deffo coming down the line, I'd be talking to a merchant about cost of getting big square bale hay delivered in.
Scan everything now......hang up anything that needs to go.
I might even be asking myself some hard questions about jagging anything in calf that I don't like..........
I think I've just enough, as long as we can find some empties in a scan this month. Culls are a good trade!
In my situation:
This will be once they’ve calved
They will be inside
They are continentals
I’ve plenty of straw but realise it’s not sufficient nutritionally so need some ideas of what to add?
Not my field of expertise I'm afraid.
It'll all be dear is my concern.
I'm still voting compare buying in hay while it's still available - if you've room
- Location
- sw scotland
We got a load of good dry hay which will buffer the silage. Good price if you have some shed space. Better to plan now than panic in March.
...and put your calving back a bit until the grass is growing. Then they don't need much at all.
...and put your calving back a bit until the grass is growing. Then they don't need much at all.
Bit too far away from me unfortunately
- Location
- sw scotland
I'm not trying to sell you it, just saying we bought some even though have the biggest silage heap ever. We bought it from Sedgefield area which is 3 hours ago but probably 5 from you.
Hoping that it will allow us to leave silage over and avoid all that expensive fertiliser.
A few years ago forage was expensive with bales £50 here . Just rationed the cows, turned out early the thinnest ever seen and calving was great.
Hoping that it will allow us to leave silage over and avoid all that expensive fertiliser.
A few years ago forage was expensive with bales £50 here . Just rationed the cows, turned out early the thinnest ever seen and calving was great.
- Location
- Buxton, Derbyshire
Would you not be better feeding the straw now to the dry cows whilst their requirements are lowest, saving the hay and silage for the new year when the cows requirements are increasing?
Yeah as @Whitepeak said feed the straw and some mollases now. Somewhere between 1 litre and 2 litres per head per day watch their muck if its too dry give more mollases, if its too wet give a bit less. Last time I did it mine were on 25 litre drum per 20 cows per day but I've had cows on a litre per day no problem as well it depends on the straw I think. Rep recommended 2 litres a day but they were almost scouring on that much.
Definitely but they’re not getting silage yet. Been brought in to wean calves and cows are going back out on kale. I’m just trying to plan ahead for next spring