Back when no-till farming was fairly new, one familiar catch phrase was “Farm Ugly.” Managing pastures in a more regenerative fashion sometimes appears a bit ugly too.
Most producers will begin feeding hay this month if they haven’t already started. Hay supplies are low in many areas so getting the most out of what you have available becomes very important.
First, and something nobody ever likes to hear, is that cows that are poor producers, didn’t get bred back in a timely manner or didn’t get bred back at all should grow some wheels. When winter feed is of a premium, slackers need to go.
You want to be as efficient as possible feeding hay. It might be easier to put out enough hay for several days or even a week, but doing so usually increases waste. Having a little competition between cows when feeding hay is actually a good thing. They are much more likely to clean it up and waste less when they think the other cows are after the same bite.
Unless you have certain nutritional needs for a particular bunch of livestock, it is generally better to feed poorer quality hay first. That poorer quality hay can also be supplemented as needed and hopefully you have tested some of the hay in advance in order to know its limitations. It’s much easier to move from poor quality to good quality than the reverse, especially when the supply is limited. Nobody wants to eat broccoli after having ice cream.
Hay fed in rings or feeding wagons slows down picking and sorting of the hay by the livestock and increases efficiency.
Hay fed on pasture while the soil is dry, in dry lots that have enough structure, or in winter feeding buildings all help to keep hay out of the mud with less waste.
Probably one of the most efficient ways to feed hay is sadly one of the least used today—small square bales. Small bales were allocated to the livestock on a daily and as-needed basis and usually inside the barn in the manger. There was very little waste feeding hay this way. Labor is the most limiting factor for small bales today.
Winter allows us to change our daily pace just a little bit with hopefully a little less work outside and a little bit more time inside with family or a good book. Before we know it, the gray, brown and white days of winter will start turning multiple shades of green again.
A good time to start sourcing clover seed for frost-seeding is in the near future!
Remember, it’s not about maximizing a grazing event, but maximizing a grazing season! Keep on grazing! — Ohio State University Extension
