Winter feed management and culling considerations for beef cattle

By Garth Ruff and Jason Hartschuh, Ohio State University Extension

At recent a series of programs across the region, we discussed management options for winter feeding of beef cows in drought impacted areas. The following were some of the highlighted discussion points.

Know how much stored forage is available 

Taking hay inventory now is key. Not just counting bales but knowing how many tons of forage is available versus what might have to be purchased supplementation. Getting out and actually weighing bales is the first step to planning winter feeding.

Don’t guess, forage test 

Forage testing is important when developing a supplementation plan. Know how much energy, protein, and fiber is in your hay will allow a nutritionist to help plan supplementation needs. There is a significant difference in the pounds of supplemental energy required between a poor hay sample at 45% Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) compared to average grass hay with a TDN around 54-56%.… Continue reading