Winter Feed Revisited

[Broomcroft]

During the winter there was a topic on winter feeding and I said how because of last summers appalling weather, I had only been able to make 400 bales of rubbish and 400 bales of very high protein 'rocket fuel', and zero normal forage. I said I was dealing with the problem by alternating what I gave them. Well, I thought you might like to know what happened.

Some animals did fine on the system but many lost condition and looked very scraggy by the time they went out. Out on grass for just a few weeks now and they are quickly regaining condition.

What it taught me was it's quite important for people like me to have like cattle on a farm that are quite similar. Having the mixed-type herd that I have, meant than within one group (and I couldn't split them up any more than I did) I had cows that were getting fat and others that became a bit too skinny, even though they were all on the same regime.

I even had to have one cow shot, a long leg as it happens, because she started to prolapse even though not in calf, when others in her pen were starting to look like they'd been starved!



Edited By Broomcroft on 1210928279

[welshdexterboy]

In my experience Clive it has always been best to feed the worst first and then better after. Chopping and changing upsets the cattle and some will hang on for the better stuff that is due to come. As for having only one type of Dexter IMHO is depriving yourself of 50% of good cattle, but you have to do what suits you so good luck if you change . It will be interesting to hear if there is something in what you say but to re-duplicate last Winter plus the quality of your feed to see if they fair better is nigh impossible so again good luck

[Broomcroft]

I couldn't do that Rob because the good stuff was so high in protein / energy that they would get bloat after a couple or three days. It is equivalent to hard feed. So I was between a rock and a hard place.