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COWS-fed-barely-sprouting-fodders, page : 17
If you are growing your own hay for maximum production then you should know that plants need adequate nutrients – this means fertilizer either commercial or natural. Cattle manure makes the best fertilizer.
Hay must be properly dried before bailed and stored. IF IT IS BAILED TOO GREEN THEN IT WILL MOLD AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF FERMENT, HEATING AND STARTING A FIRE.
Hay must be properly dried out before bailed and stored.
GRASS VERSUS ALFALFA
Alfalfa – green or fed as hay – is good feed for calves or young cattle, lactating cows and pregnant cows in late gestation (gestation is the length of pregnancy which is about 285 days for cows). But they do no need straight alfalfa because they do not require that much protein and rich alfalfa with no grass or other forage to dilute it can cause digestive problems, diarrhea, and bloat. A mix of grass and alfalfa is usually safer and healthier than straight alfalfa. ON ALFALFA PASTURES, FEED A BLOAT PREVENTATIVE TO KEEP FROM LOSING CATTLE.
DO NOT FEED DAIRY QUALITY ALFALFA HAY TO BEEF CATTLE. It is much richer than they need and the risk of bloating is great. For beef animals, feed first-cutting alfalfa if it is only a roughage source because it contains some grass and can be an ideal ration. Second or third cutting is just alfalfa, it grows back faster than grass. It has more protein than is needed and should not be fed by itself.
To avoid bloat, feed alfalfa with a high fiber feed, do not let alfalfa leaves built up in a feed bunk, allow plenty of space for all animals to eat at once, and never let hungry animals eat leafy alfalfa or they will load up the rumen too quickly. Be cautious using wet alfalfa pastures or feeding wet alfalfa hay. Lush alfalfa – especially if just a few inches high is very palatable and tender and can quickly cause bloat.
Make sure alfalfa hay is not moldy or dusty. SOME MOLDS CAN CAUSE RESPIRTORY PROBLEMS OR ABORTION IN PREGNANT COWS.
Cattle will not eat well if the stems are coarse because they are hard to chew.
HARMFUL PLANTS
Hay must be properly dried before bailed and stored. IF IT IS BAILED TOO GREEN THEN IT WILL MOLD AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF FERMENT, HEATING AND STARTING A FIRE.
Hay must be properly dried out before bailed and stored.
GRASS VERSUS ALFALFA
Alfalfa – green or fed as hay – is good feed for calves or young cattle, lactating cows and pregnant cows in late gestation (gestation is the length of pregnancy which is about 285 days for cows). But they do no need straight alfalfa because they do not require that much protein and rich alfalfa with no grass or other forage to dilute it can cause digestive problems, diarrhea, and bloat. A mix of grass and alfalfa is usually safer and healthier than straight alfalfa. ON ALFALFA PASTURES, FEED A BLOAT PREVENTATIVE TO KEEP FROM LOSING CATTLE.
DO NOT FEED DAIRY QUALITY ALFALFA HAY TO BEEF CATTLE. It is much richer than they need and the risk of bloating is great. For beef animals, feed first-cutting alfalfa if it is only a roughage source because it contains some grass and can be an ideal ration. Second or third cutting is just alfalfa, it grows back faster than grass. It has more protein than is needed and should not be fed by itself.
To avoid bloat, feed alfalfa with a high fiber feed, do not let alfalfa leaves built up in a feed bunk, allow plenty of space for all animals to eat at once, and never let hungry animals eat leafy alfalfa or they will load up the rumen too quickly. Be cautious using wet alfalfa pastures or feeding wet alfalfa hay. Lush alfalfa – especially if just a few inches high is very palatable and tender and can quickly cause bloat.
Make sure alfalfa hay is not moldy or dusty. SOME MOLDS CAN CAUSE RESPIRTORY PROBLEMS OR ABORTION IN PREGNANT COWS.
Cattle will not eat well if the stems are coarse because they are hard to chew.
HARMFUL PLANTS