this is a newbie ? maybe a couple of ?s

[lilly foote]

my uncle just gave me 16 heifers just weaned which i have plenty of grass
for them to eat but what do i need other than hay for the winter to keep them healthy really dont want to feed grain but i do want healthy cows and is hay replacer any cheaper than hay I live in okla and we had such terrible wildfires last year there was almost no hay here most people bought it out of state if they could afford it most of the rest sold off there herds then we had a bad drought on top of that we are just now recovering from the drought here so i'm really wanting the cheapest and healthiest way to winter these heifers so i can make a little money later on and still put meat on my table any suggestions
thanks in advance lilly foote

[agmantoo]

Are you asking for what to do for next Winter in order to feed the heifers as inexpensively as possible? More information is needed. Do you plan to retain all the animals? How much acreage do you have available for grazing. What is the carrying capacity of acreage in your area? Do you have machinery available with which to plant? Any haying equipment? Storage for hay? What are your long range goals with these animals? What breed(s) are these heifers and what is their current weight?

[Karin L]

You need facilities, water, shelter. What breed are these heifers?

Hay can get you through good enough, but grain and/or silage will be just as sufficient.

IMHO, I don't think that there really is a "cheap" way of raising these heifers. Since they sound like they're 5-6 month old heifers, are you planning on keeping them for yourself as a seedstock herd or are you selling them off when they're 600 or 900-1000 lbs as feeder heifers? If it's the latter (I kinda think that's NOT what your going for, but...) then you'll need to buy some good-quality hay and grain to fatten them up for the feedlot. If your keeping them and plan to breed them in a few months or in a year, you still need that good-quality hay and grain for them to grow into healthy cows and still keep going with that feed plan for when they have their first calves. The first (seedstock) is a bit more costly than the latter (feeders).

My two cents.

[Karin L]

Whup, Agman posted before me...I'm also askin similar questions as he did...

Agman, my guess is that LF's heifers probably weigh around the 4-500 lb region, if they're beef heifers. Sure'd like to know the rest of the story though....

[lilly foote]

most of them are guilvey?(spelling)and brangus cross a couple are herford longhorn cross mostly beef cows i plan on keeping them as my starter herd
I have 80 acres of good pasture they're al beteewn 500-600lbs I dont own
big machinery but have access to it I give a farmer down the road all the goats milk he wants and he'll resead anything or bale hay for me. there is two really nice ponds on this property (good catfish too!) I have a barn just not on this property it would be tractored over i do have a small tractor for this
mainly wondering about the next winter feeding i wasnt really planning for the cows but i cant look a gift horse in the mouth either they where free my uncle thinks i need cattle instead of goats so now i have booth
lilly

[travlnusa]

You need to keep loose mineral ( not blocks) in front of them all the time. Go to your local feed store and get what is needed for your area. They will know.

Hay, water, minearal is all you really need.

You can get by feed very cheap, low quailty hay if you are going to feed something else. If hay is that expensive, look inot feed alfalfa pellets to supplement the hay.

Again, go to your local feed mill. Not a large big box farm store. Tell then what you have to feed, and they will work with you.

Also, contact your local extention office. Have them visit your farm and advise you how to manage your pastures the best way.

You do not indoor shelter. Just have a place they can get out of the wind, some old wall, tree line, etc.

Find someone else around you with cattle, and find a mentor

[agmantoo]

Here is my take. I am a commercial producer of feeder calves and I retain heifers for replacement stock. You state you have ample grass which is a most desireable asset. In order to utilize that asset, the resultant which will maximize your efficiency and in turn allow you to be a low cost producer that can thrive in the competitive and often risky business of beef production, you need to learn how to use the grass intelligently. Rotation or Management Intensive Grazing is the means to accomplish this. Once you get it mastered, grazing in this manner will enhance your profit and surviveablility in the cattle business. I cannot give specific information on how to maximize this type of grazing under your conditions but I will share all that I have learned in doing this type of grazing in NC zone 7. You interested?

[lilly foote]

yes i'm very interested

lilly

[agmantoo]

lilly,
describe your current layout as to the shape, the type of fence, any partitions that exits, current watering method for the cattle and the type of forage that exists. Are the forages cool or warm season types? What do other cattlepersons use for winter grazing in your area? Are you able and willing to spend some money and to do the manual labor to increase the number of paddocks inside your existing perimeter fence? What is the carrying capacity of your 80 acres (number of cattle per acre)? You may have to call and ask an extension person to get some figures for your area.