Bale grazing.

[greybeard]

know exactly what you are saying angus 62. Especially the younger cows that really need it. They just follow you around waiting for that good hay.
No need to shred that good hay but sometimes it's better just to get it layed out enough to allow enough "bunk space" for equal shares.
Might as well put it out first and once it's gone they will move on.
Your sure right about the price FS. That nice fine alfalfa is worth a lot for the nutritional value and the convenience over feeding so called concentrates. You just can't have to much of it. Never seems to be enough o go around with replacement hiefers and young bulls to grow. Cows always seem to be left eating too much of that stuff Little Joe describes.

 

[flyingS]

FH what do you use for an energy supplement and what does it cost? If you feed a protein supplement I feel that you have to price it according to cost/lb of protein. Example: $100/ton alfalfa that test 16% compared to $280/ton cake product that test 28%, alfalfa is .3125/lb of protein and cake is .504/lb of protein. You can get DDG for much less if it is not cubed.

 

[Texan]

I've always wanted to try some lower quality alfalfa as a protein supplement - maybe every third day, with my native grass hay for the other two days. It had seemed like this would be the year to do it since we're really short of hay, and since cottonseed cake around here is being quoted at close to $500. But...it appears that the trucking is going to make it cost prohibitive this year since we don't have any alfalfa around here.

Interesting thread, though. You guys have convinced me to try it whenever I can make it pencil out.