– Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County
Have you inventoried your forage supply? Photo: Al Gahler
Depending on where you are in the state, you might be dealing with dry conditions or even severe drought. Here in southeastern Ohio, pastures are parched, and hay production has been disappointing, with very little to show for second or third cuttings.
This year, forage quantity is becoming a significant concern for many producers. Reports indicate that first cuttings yielded only 40-50% of what they should have, particularly in grass forage fields. Second and third cuttings have fared even worse, with some fields producing only 25% of a typical harvest, if anything at all. Many producers have already started feeding hay, raising concerns about whether there will be enough to last through the winter. Given the variable pasture conditions across the state due to ongoing dry spells, it’s crucial to start planning now to be better prepared for the fall and winter.
Know Your Inventory and Its Value
The first step in planning is to inventory your forage supplies. Will what you have be enough to feed all your livestock until next spring? Regardless of your current hay stock, it’s essential to sample and analyze your forages. Proper sampling techniques vary depending on the forage type, so reach out to your local Agriculture Extension Educator for a forage probe and instructions on submitting samples to a laboratory.
Exploring Alternatives
If forages are in short supply and expensive this fall, consider other feeding options. With current low corn prices, it might be more economical to feed grains or concentrated feeds instead of relying solely on forages. Limit feeding is one approach where grains and supplements are fed in just the right amounts to meet the animals’ energy requirements, maintaining body condition while keeping costs in check.
In a 1996 Ohio State University study involving 71 beef cows, one group was fed 10 pounds of corn, 2.6 pounds of pelleted supplement, and 2.6 pounds of hay per day. In this group corn was increased to 11.9 pounds of corn from January to April to meet energy requirements. The other group was fed first cutting rounds bales free choice. The results of this study resulted total feed cost per day was $0.77 group one and $1.50 for the second. At this time corn was $2.00 per bushel and hay valued at $150 per ton. Other research has been conducted using various grain sources with similar results. While this approach can be cost-effective, it’s worth noting that the cows in the limit-fed group displayed behaviors such as eating tree bark and gnawing on boards, likely due to reduced feed satisfaction. However, their nutritional needs were met without negative performance effects. Learn more about about this approach to feeding brood cows in this article by Steve Loerch, An Alternative to Hay for Brood Cows – Corn!
Considering Other Feed Sources
Grain-based feeds generally contain rapidly fermentable starch, which can lower rumen pH and affect feed intake and forage digestibility. Alternatives like soybean hulls, corn gluten feed, beet pulp, and brewers grains provide energy with a slower starch degradation, which is gentler on rumen pH compared to traditional grain sources like corn. It’s important to understand the impact of any feed used and to adjust the entire ration accordingly, as by-products are rarely suitable as a single feed ingredient.
Proceed with Caution
When implementing a limit-feeding program with grains or concentrated supplements, proceed with caution. In the study mentioned earlier, animals on a restricted diet were fed at the same time each day to prevent issues like acidosis. Ensuring adequate fiber intake is crucial to keep the rumen functioning properly, and ruminants should be adjusted slowly to a limit-feeding program. High-grain diets can lead to acidosis, bloat, and founder if not managed carefully.
In Summary
While limit feeding can reduce costs, it requires careful management and animal husbandry skills. Grazing remains the most economical way to feed livestock, and it doesn’t look like pasture conditions will be improving in the new future.. This has been a challenging year, and we all hope to avoid struggling this winter to keep our livestock fed. Planning now will help mitigate some of the challenges ahead.