Hay as a Tool

Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources

Although much has been said and written about the high cost of producing hay, it doesn’t appear that beef cattle farmers are going to give up the practice of making and using hay on the farm anytime soon. Therefore, I want to propose that hay be looked at as a tool. Think of it as a tool that is used to manage important resources on the cattle farm. Those important resources are cows and pasture. In hay’s role as a tool, it should be used to provide nutrients to the cow and to protect the pasture base. Let’s take a closer look at each of these uses and how they can work together within a Continue reading

Adding Fat to the Diet Can Improve Reproductive Performance

Dr. Les Anderson, Beef Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky

Over the past 15 years, 30 different research trials have been conducted that examine the impact of supplemental fat on reproductive performance of beef and dairy cattle. Fats (or lipids) have been fed before and after calving and during the breeding season. Research on feeding supplemental fat has resulted in Continue reading