Nice problem to have

[Sid]

So you under feed them then?

Yep sure do.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

The old folk said there was more cows killed with overfeeding than underfeeding [emoji23]

 

[Sid]

Dry and transition cow nutrition - W.E. Jameson & Son

As a vital link from one lactation to the next and preparation for calving, the dry period must be managed positively to ensure cows start their new

www.wejameson.co.uk

In the first part of the dry period (all but the last 2-3 weeks) the dry cows can be fed on cheap feeds such as grass and straw. Straw is useful at this time as it helps to keep the rumen enlarges, which may help avoid displaced abomasums in the following lactation.

 

[pappuller]

It's just a fashion/fad

Cows need to be well flesh (not overfat) when they calve so they can milk off their backs.

Of course cows will calve easier if they are under fed, the developing calves wont grow as well as they should.

Would you put your wife on half rations before she gives birth?

Whats a fashion/fad ?

 

[Sid]

It's just a fashion/fad

Cows need to be well flesh (not overfat) when they calve so they can milk off their backs.

Of course cows will calve easier if they are under fed, the developing calves wont grow as well as they should.

Would you put your wife on half rations before she gives birth?

Think the days of fattening a cow up pre calving then milking off her back are long gone in the majority of farms.
Generally people know how to feed cows in early lactation better now.

Easy calving is about setting a cow up right a month BEFORE she is dried off.

I've no idea where this half ration idea came from?

 

[Cowmansam]

It’s not hard you want intakes up and quality down second rate hay is ideal

 

[Homesy]

Do what every other organic farmer does. Feed conventional straw and keep quiet. You use conventional straw for bedding in the winter, a proportion of which they eat. Putting it in feeders in the field is no different.

 

[jondear]

Do what every other organic farmer does. Feed conventional straw and keep quiet. You use conventional straw for bedding in the winter, a proportion of which they eat. Putting it in feeders in the field is no different.

Well I don't so not every one !

 

[betweenthelines]

Dry and transition cow nutrition - W.E. Jameson & Son

As a vital link from one lactation to the next and preparation for calving, the dry period must be managed positively to ensure cows start their new

www.wejameson.co.uk

In the first part of the dry period (all but the last 2-3 weeks) the dry cows can be fed on cheap feeds such as grass and straw. Straw is useful at this time as it helps to keep the rumen enlarges, which may help avoid displaced abomasums in the following lactation.

Must be true, it's on the internet

 

[Sid]

Must be true, it's on the internet

Store the straw in a ring feeder ready to bed up and put a sign up saying “not for eating!”

Do what every other organic farmer does. Feed conventional straw and keep quiet. You use conventional straw for bedding in the winter, a proportion of which they eat. Putting it in feeders in the field is no different.

Yep thats what I thought.




I thought TFF was about sharing ideas

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Yep thats what I thought.

[emoji849]


I thought TFF was about sharing ideas [emoji848]

Yes it is
And not being laughed at if you don't agree [emoji23]

This is a slight criticism so don't take it wrong way , but why did you not plan ahead, I get this question all the time . Feed for dry cows that is . But its usually before the New Year before most if the fodder as gone

 

[Sid]

Yes it is
And not being laughed at if you don't agree [emoji23]

This is a slight criticism so don't take it wrong way , but why did you not plan ahead, I get this question all the time . Feed for dry cows that is . But its usually before the New Year before most if the fodder as gone

We have some left but not enough for drys.
The land we made the rest of the roughage for drystock/youngstock on was affected by the drought and is actually better quality than we thought it would be.

As I said at the top, too much good stuff not enough poorer. As someone mentioned sell the good for some hay, but I've sold fodder before and been tight the next winter.

We have switched some youngstock to silage that is actually too good for them.

I have 3 lots of hay on offer to me , but I wondered if the collective may have a different train of thought, putting conventional straw in a ring feeder has and will never going happen here.

 

[Rossymons]

We have some left but not enough for drys.
The land we made the rest of the roughage for drystock/youngstock on was affected by the drought and is actually better quality than we thought it would be.

As I said at the top, too much good stuff not enough poorer. As someone mentioned sell the good for some hay, but I've sold fodder before and been tight the next winter.

We have switched some youngstock to silage that is actually too good for them.

I have 3 lots of hay on offer to me , but I wondered if the collective may have a different train of thought, putting conventional straw in a ring feeder has and will never going happen here.

The best stuff is slightly better than straw.

You're going to have a hard job convincing these girls to eat nothing but straw for 6 weeks. They just won't do it, lose condition and you can imagine what will happen then.

You're not looking to restrict intakes in fresh weight which you already know.

If it's got a slightly nice smell to it then that's the stuff to feed. I was lucky as a neighbour would always make to them was "crap hay" which perfect for us. That he sold it cheaper than we could make it was even better!

If its green straw, smells half decent then that's the stuff to have.

 

[dinderleat]

It's just a fashion/fad

Cows need to be well flesh (not overfat) when they calve so they can milk off their backs.

Of course cows will calve easier if they are under fed, the developing calves wont grow as well as they should.

Would you put your wife on half rations before she gives birth?

Wtf? It’s not about half rations but about keeping the rumen full, straw is not a fad it’s actually works, yields are not 5k litres 10k plus is the norm and a very different animal that needs managing correctly.

 

[Rossymons]

Wtf? It’s not about half rations but about keeping the rumen full straw is not a fad it’s actually works, yields are not 5k litres 10k plus is the norm and a very different animal that needs managing correctly.

It is somewhat hypocritical that he is criticising one member for not feeding his cows correctly whilst then admitting that he won't be feeding his correctly when they calve in so they'll use their reserves to produce rather than what's in the trough.

 

[O'Reilly]

Wtf? It’s not about half rations but about keeping the rumen full, straw is not a fad it’s actually works, yields are not 5k litres 10k plus is the norm and a very different animal that needs managing correctly.

I think I'd manage a 5k cow in a similar fashion during the dry period.
Feeding cows 'properly' with up to 8kg of concentrate for dry cows, is apparently all the rage in Pakistan. They get a lot of ketosis and all the other problems that you would expect, but few of them will change their ways.

 

[Jdunn55]

I think I'd manage a 5k cow in a similar fashion during the dry period.
Feeding cows 'properly' with up to 8kg of concentrate for dry cows, is apparently all the rage in Pakistan. They get a lot of ketosis and all the other problems that you would expect, but few of them will change their ways.

What's the theory behind that? Even if you ignore the health effects, surely that's got to be the most expensive way possible to feed a dry cow??

 

[O'Reilly]

What's the theory behind that? Even if you ignore the health effects, surely that's got to be the most expensive way possible to feed a dry cow??

They lose weight in early lactation, as they milk off their backs, most cows do to a certain extent. So what do you do? Get them as fat as possible, so they have plenty of reserve to use. Makes sense if you only have a bit of knowledge of a cows metabolism. Alltech send a man over from England to try and show a better way, but why listen to him? You have an expert just down the road! Who just happens to be able to sell you huge amounts of cake.
But this is a long way from Sids dilemma, sorry Sid, you'll have to spend some money, think of the p and k you're buying in.

 

[endeavour]

Let the cows tell you, make straw available if price is right if not limit grazing/silage intake and buy organic hay to fill remembering intake in total dm intake terms is lowered by the growth of calf in late dry period, a natural way of cows preventing over fat and calving problemc

 

[multi power]

It's just a fashion/fad

Cows need to be well flesh (not overfat) when they calve so they can milk off their backs.

Of course cows will calve easier if they are under fed, the developing calves wont grow as well as they should.

Would you put your wife on half rations before she gives birth?

That is rubbish
Under fed cows normally struggle more with calving than slightly fat ones