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Long standing rule of thumb

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Soapweed

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Back in the days when it wasn't nearly as easy to transport hay as it is now, the old rule of thumb for ranching was, "You need to still have half your hay by the first of March." This rule still makes me pay attention, after many years of having it ingrained on my brain. :wink:
 
I was always taught to have an extra years feed on hand, as feed is better than money in the bank. I can think of times when I was grateful for this lesson.
 
Larrry said:
I was always taught to have an extra years feed on hand, as feed is better than money in the bank. I can think of times when I was grateful for this lesson.

yes and no. when i make my land payments, the bank won't take any of my hay. :wink: :lol:
 
I know you can't make a land payment, but that feed can meen the difference in having to liquidate cows and starting back at square one. Stockpiled grass can play a big role in the feed reserves
 
Larrry said:
I know you can't make a land payment, but that feed can meen the difference in having to liquidate cows and starting back at square one. Stockpiled grass can play a big role in the feed reserves

i understand.
 
Depends on the bank some will use your feedstocks as collateral. I'll have around 400 carry over bales this year last year I ran out and went to grass a week early.
 
We go by that rule also, still well over half in the stackyard....... for once.


I finally decided last year that we had never been short of hay.

There were several years when we had too many cows though.
 
My general rule is to have 1 to 2 months more feed then you plan on needing for winter feeding.
 
Always have more cattle than feed. then you never have an excuse to keep poor cows around. Cull, cull, cull!

:D

I would like to say we have lots of feed left. But it ain't May 15th yet. I will let you know then as I have seen lots of winter, up to that time, in the past. :wink:

And it's hard to plan for next year when you got a kid who keeps buying cows, trying to build a herd..... :wink:
 
By the 1st of March I am alnost finshed with hay. Feeding at about 1/2 rate for 3 more weeks and done.
 
I have 98% of what I started the winter with. Haven't fed the horses anything, and the cows have only gotten 3 bales, and that was because I needed to hay my road.
 
Down here we are stretching that rule.....to enough to feed thru the next drought....in 2007 I had a 3 year supply stored in barns....I have two weeks worth left and only 1/3 of the cows. Best part of this story is I haven't had to feed a roll since the first week of January...has been an unbelievable turn around since November...plenty of moisture and a very mild winter.
 
I was talking to a neighbor a couple of years ago at a cattle sale in the winter and asked him how his feed was holding up. He said he had counted the days left to the 15 of May which was his turnout date for range and then sold all of the extra hay he had on hand. He was looking pretty smug about it til I asked him if he knew it was a leap year? I think he got even the next chance he got.
 

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