whats the best cutting to feed beef cattle?

[bigmudder77]

just looking for the best cutting of hay to feed to beef cattle

not looking to spend a TON on hay i get it out of the feilds just looking for the best cutting to feed im getting a load of 2nd cutting this week for $2 a bale out of the feild just so i can feed them some thing other than the grain thats killing me

[michiganfarmer]

the best is second third or fourth, but first is great if it is a good mixture, and put up right

[genebo]

I've always been told that the 2nd cutting was the best. Local suppliers will sell their first cutting for less than the 2nd. $2 a bale sounds like a great price, assuming they weigh around 50-60 lbs. You can't get it for that around here.

Once I got some 30# bales for that, but it wasn't a bargain because I could get 55# bales for $3.50, and I didn't have to pick them up in the field.

Secondary grain products like corn gluten and dry brewer's grain are cheaper than today's corn. They have a high protein content, but are short on energy (carbohydrates). That's what the syrup, beer and alcohol makers took out of it. I bought some corn gluten that had peanut skins and cull peanuts mixed in, along with some wheat middlings and some molasses for carbohydrates. Protein 16%, fat 2.5%. I paid $6 per 50# bag.

It's a little dusty and at first the cattle didn't like it as well as the textured sweet feed I was using for treats, but they came around. I saved $1.25 per bag by switching, and got a little more fat content.

I wish the chickens would eat it. Chicken feed is up to $14 for what used to be a $5 bag.

A neighbor has a grain mill. He throws an equal number of square hay bales and bags of the that corn gluten feed into it and gets a good mix out. The best thing is he can add loose minerals to the mix.

You could probably use round bales, but you'd have to unroll them and fork them into the mill. I think that a round bale is usually the equal of 16 square bales. Close enough anyway for the mix.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[francismilker]

Not sure what neck of the woods that your in or if it's a drought area, but it's a good feeling to have all the hay you need for the feeding season in the barn as soon as it's hot enough to dry the hay. I've always liked the second cutting to get less weeds in my hay. But, once again, if you've ever lived through a severe drought any cutting is good!

[bigmudder77]

im from ohio and yes the feed price is going up $13 a bag at tsc for corn and sweet mix is 8 something use ot be 7.50 a 50lbs bag and corn use to be around 11 for a 50lbs bag

but ya im getting the hay right out of the feild as in they just bailed it and its on there wagon in the feild thats why they are selling it cheap

im thinking about spending about $1000 on hay and then selling it in the winter for oover $5 a bale on craigslist i still see stuff for $5 a bale

ill only use about 50-100 bales IF they eat it right now there on pasture and just lay in the hay so i give them very little

i also need to get some straw about 50 bales of that cause where they are water likes to run in there pen when we get a strong storm and it gets all messy