As winter approaches, livestock owners must prepare for the colder months by ensuring their animals have enough feed to last through the dormant season.
For beef cows, hay is often the primary source of nutrition during this time. But how much hay does a cow actually need to consume per day?
The answer depends on a variety of factors, including the quality of the forage and the size of the cow.
In this article, we’ll explore the science behind estimating forage usage and calculating winter feed needs for beef cows.
So grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in!
How Much Hay Does A Beef Cow Eat Per Day?
Estimating the amount of hay a beef cow needs to consume per day is an important task for livestock owners. This calculation requires an understanding of the cow’s size and the quality of the forage being consumed.
According to experts, cows can consume anywhere from 1.5% to 2.5% of their body weight in dry matter per day. This means that a 1200-pound pregnant spring-calving cow consuming good quality grass hay (tested at 8% crude protein) will voluntarily consume around 24 pounds of hay per day on a dry matter basis.
However, it’s important to note that hay wastage must also be considered when feeding big round bales. Hay wastage can range from 6% to 20% or more, so it’s best to assume a 15% hay wastage rate. This means that approximately 30 pounds of grass hay must be hauled to the pasture for each cow each day that hay is expected to be the primary ingredient in the diet.
During early lactation, cows may weigh less but will consume more hay. A cow weighing 100 pounds less than a pregnant cow can consume around 36 pounds of “as-fed” hay per day on a dry matter basis.
The Role Of Hay In A Beef Cow’s Diet
Hay plays a critical role in a beef cow’s diet, particularly during the last trimester of pregnancy and postpartum (after calving). During this time, cows require high energy hay to regain body weight after calving, produce milk for their calf, and rebreed in 40 to 90 days after calving.
Many people believe that cows can simply eat more low-quality forage to meet their energy demands. However, according to the Beef Cattle Research Council, this is not true in most cases because the higher fiber content in low-quality forage actually decreases voluntary intake.
If there is a shortage of hay, grain may be an economical choice for feeding stock cows through the winter. Grain has the advantage of being easier and cheaper to ship in than hay and is generally available. However, if a producer is trying to extend hay supplies, grain can be fed at fairly high levels to provide most of the cows’ need for energy.
It’s important to note that when substituting grain for hay, producers need to look at the energy or total digestible nutrient level of the two feeds. For example, a pound of corn will replace 1.7 pounds of average-quality mixed hay. A pound of barley would replace 1.6 pounds of hay and oats would replace 1.5 pounds of hay.
An added benefit of feeding grains such as barley and oats is that their high protein level minimizes the need for supplemental protein. The high fiber level of those grains also adds some roughage to the diet and reduces feeding problems.
Producers with plenty of lower-quality hay may need to feed grain to meet the nutritional needs of cows in late gestation and maintain body condition. In that case, feeding small amounts of grain may supplement energy available from the forage and minimize negative effects of starch digestion on fiber digestion.
Protein deficiencies in the forage should be corrected first with supplements or in concert with grain supplementation to stimulate maximum forage intake and digestibility. When feeding to meet nutrient needs, it’s important not to feed too much grain to make sure there are plenty of healthy forage-digesting microbes in the rumen.
Estimating Forage Usage: Factors To Consider
There are several factors that must be considered when estimating forage usage for beef cows. The primary factors are cow weight, forage quality, and stage of production (gestating or lactating).
Cow weight is an important factor because cows that weigh more will consume more on a daily basis compared to lighter weight cows. In addition, cows that are lactating will consume more feed than cows that are not lactating. This means that during early lactation, when cows require more feed, the amount of hay they consume will be higher.
Forage quality also plays a significant role in determining the amount of hay a cow will consume. Better-quality forages contain larger concentrations of important nutrients, so animals consuming those forages should be more likely to meet their nutrient needs from the forages. Cows can consume a larger quantity of better-quality forages as they are fermented more rapidly in the rumen leaving a void that the animal can re-fill with additional forage.
On the other hand, reduced-quality forages at less than 6% crude protein will be consumed at about 1.5% of body weight on a dry-matter basis per day. Greater-quality grass hays at more than 8% crude protein may be consumed at about 2% of body weight. Excellent forages such as good alfalfa, silages or green pasture may be consumed at the rate of 2.5% dry matter of body weight per day.
It’s also important to consider hay wastage when estimating forage usage. Hay wastage can range from 6% to 20% or more, so it’s best to assume a 15% hay wastage rate when feeding big round bales.
How To Calculate Winter Feed Needs For Beef Cows
Calculating winter feed needs for beef cows is a crucial step in preparing for the colder months ahead. Here’s how to estimate the amount of hay needed to feed your cows:
Step 1: Take an inventory of all the cattle that you plan to winter, including replacement heifers, backgrounding calves, and bulls, in addition to the main cow herd. You’ll also need approximate body weights to use in calculating feed needs.
Step 2: Inventory the feed resources available, approximate weights, dry matter, and quality. Chemical analysis of the hay being fed would be a valuable source of information and help guide feeding decisions.
Step 3: Estimate the number of weeks you plan to feed your cattle. Based on past years’ experiences and/or predictive seasonal weather forecasts, try to accurately determine current year feeding needs.
Step 4: Calculate feed needs by multiplying the number of animals times their weight. A general assumption is that cattle will eat 2.25% to 2.5% of their body weight in dry matter per day, so body weight times 2.5% times the number of days gives you approximately the amount of feed needed.
For example, a 1200-pound pregnant spring-calving cow consuming good quality grass hay will voluntarily consume around 24 pounds of hay per day on a dry matter basis. Assuming a 15% hay wastage rate and a feeding period of five months, this cow will need approximately 4,404 pounds (2.2 tons) of hay on a dry matter basis.
Step 5: Factor in storage and feeding waste. Well-managed hay feeding with good hay bale feeders probably needs to factor in 10% to 15% of waste.
Step 6: Allocate resources based on forage quality and nutrient needs for various time periods. First-cutting hay usually makes up about half of the total hay crop, but it also tends to be more mature and lower in quality. Second and third cuttings tend to be higher-quality because they are less mature at harvest and are best targeted to late-gestation, calving, and young stock.
Adjusting Hay Intake For Different Cow Sizes And Forage Quality
When estimating hay intake for different cow sizes and forage quality, it’s important to consider the cow’s dry matter demand. Dry matter demand is based on the class of animal, stage of life and production, and body weight. As a general rule of thumb, cows can consume around 1.5% to 2.5% of their body weight in dry matter per day.
For example, a 500-pound beef replacement heifer with an expected mature weight of 1,000 pounds and an average daily gain of 1.0 pound will have a dry matter demand of approximately 14.6 pounds per day. On the other hand, lactating dairy cows weighing an average of 1,200 pounds will consume around 36 pounds of dry matter per day.
It’s also important to consider the quality of the forage being consumed. If feeding high-quality forage, intakes may approach 2.5% of body weight; if feeding low-quality forage, intake can be expected to be closer to 1.5% of body weight. Many grass hay samples test at 7% to 10% moisture, so when calculating daily hay intake on an “as-fed” basis, it’s important to divide the pounds of hay intake by 0.93 to 0.90 to determine actual hay intake by the cow.
Limiting access to hay for a period of time during the day can also significantly reduce intake and waste, but this strategy requires good quality hay with at least 9% crude protein and over 55% total digestible nutrients (TDN) to be successful.
Tips For Storing And Feeding Hay To Beef Cows During Winter Months
Feeding beef cows during the winter months can be a costly task, as winter feed makes up more than half of the annual cost of keeping a beef cow. Proper storage and feeding practices can help maximize feeding value and minimize waste in harvested feed. Here are some tips for storing and feeding hay to beef cows during winter months:
1. Store hay properly: Hay stored outside usually has more spoilage during storage and lower palatability than hay stored inside. Therefore, it’s best to store all hay in a barn or shed. If that is not possible, the next best options are net wrapping your bales or storing them covered on tires. Research conducted at the University of Tennessee found that storing hay on the ground with no cover results in a 37% loss, while storing hay in a barn results in only a 6% loss.
2. Feed hay in small amounts or in a feeder: Cattle will waste a greater percentage of poor-quality hay than they will of good-quality hay. Feeding hay in small amounts or in a feeder minimizes waste, as cattle have less opportunity to trample and soil the hay. Feeding hay in a rack or a “hay ring” also limits the opportunity that animals have to trample or soil hay, and will reduce waste substantially if you intend to provide more than a day’s worth of hay at one time.
3. Feed hay in well-drained areas: Feeding hay in well-drained areas keeps the hay dry and reduces waste. If you intend to feed hay in a single location all winter, provide a footing such as crushed gravel or concrete to help minimize mud.
4. Sort animals into groups based on body condition: Sorting animals into groups based on body condition allows you to feed the available forage more effectively. For example, heifers and thin cows require a more energy-dense diet compared to older or fleshy cows.
5. Move hay-feeding areas around the farm: It may be more cost-effective to move hay-feeding areas around the farm to minimize the damage to any one area of the pasture.
By implementing these tips, you can ensure proper winter nutrition for your beef cows while reducing winter feed costs and maximizing feed value.