How much hay?

[ThePigeonKid]

If I bought a six month old steer and raised it for 14 months to butcher, how much hay would I have to feed it if I only fed it hay and don't have good pasture?

How many pounds of hay would it consume in 14 months under those conditions?

Thanks in advance!

[topside1]

Cows and Hay

[Jennifer L.]

3% body weight plus 10% waste a day. So for example 500 pound calf would be 15 pounds of hay plus 1.5 pounds of hay wasted for a total of 16.5 pounds per day. Then you have to consider the calf will gain weight and the amount will go up gradually.

Jennifer

[topside1]

Great explaination Jennifer....Enjoy your weekend...

[sassafras manor]

For what it is worth, I went into last winter with 3 steers each weighting about 400 lbs. and a large (5'x6') round bale of hay averaged just under a month in an outside hay ring. The first one in mid-November lasted longer while the last one in March may have only lasted less than 3 weeks. With very little supplemental grain the three of them made it thru winter on 5 round bales. However this winter I will be going in with 2 @ 1000-1100 lbs., 2 @ 600-700 lbs., 2 @ 400-500 lbs. and 2 freshly weaned bottle calves. Needless to say I have fenced in more pasture and will be stockpiling grass this fall to reduce my hay needs for poor weather conditions only.