How do you get cows to eat bad hay?

Can cows eat old moldy hay?

Risks of Feeding Moldy Hay

Consuming moldy hay can lead to respiratory and digestive problems such as heaves and colic. Cattle and other ruminants aren't as sensitive to moldy hay. However, moldy hay can still cause issues such as aspergillosis and mycotic abortions in cattle.

Can you feed cows year old hay?

Depending on quality, year old hay may not be suitable to include in lactating cow or newly weaned calf rations. To come up with a fair price when buying year old hay: weigh the bales – do not use average weights from last fall. take a representative sample and test the feed – does the quality meet your needs.

Why are my cows not eating hay?

A loss of appetite in cattle can stem from numerous reasons, including: Stress: Stress disrupts the pH of the rumen, which can lead to decreased feed intake. Infection: If you notice your cattle are not eating, they may have a disease or virus.

How do you supplement poor quality hay?

"Commonly used supplements include high-quality grass or legume hay, oilseed meals (canola, sunflowers and soybeans), or byproduct feeds such as corn gluten feed and distillers grains," says Karl Hoppe, NDSU Extension livestock systems specialist based at the Carrington Research Extension Center.

Talking Cattle! How Much do you Feed these Things???

How do you prevent hay waste in cattle?

Avoid placing hay near streams or lowland areas. To reduce waste, it is advised to provide only enough hay to last for one day. If large amounts of hay must be put out at one time, it is helpful to place a barrier between the hay and animals to reduce waste. Feeding racks or rings can be effective barriers.

What can I do with old moldy hay?

If your moldy hay is still wrapped in its wire or plastic netting, consider using this bale as a planter. It would be best to use transplants and that your hay bale is composting. Place your moldy bale where you'd like and remove hay from the spots where you'll be planting your transplants.

How do you dispose of rotten hay?

You may be able to dispose of old straw bales through local waste management services. Most cities pick up yard waste regularly. A large straw bale is too heavy to throw in the trash bin and should be broken down into smaller chunks.

Can you save moldy hay?

Moldy hay frequently causes respiratory problems in horses. Recurrent airway obstruction, commonly known as heaves, is a lung disease that compromises a horse's ability to breathe. It is similar to asthma in humans and is a chronic condition that can only be managed, not cured.

Can beef cows eat moldy hay?

Here are the risks of feeding moldy hay to livestock:

Horses are impacted the most by moldy hay and can lead to respiratory and digestive problems like colic or heaves. 2. Cattle aren't as sensitive to moldy hay, but certain molds can result in mycotic abortions or aspergillosis. 3.

Is last year's hay still good?

Consider these points: If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.

How can you tell if hay is moldy?

Look for Mold

Cut open a bale of hay and separate the flakes. Look for the presence of mold in any of the flakes. Moldy hay generally presents as darker areas which are grey or black. If you find mold, refuse the bale – mold indicates that the hay was baled when it was too wet.

What happens if cows eat moldy grain?

Molds rarely cause systemic disease, but have caused abortion and blood poisoning in cattle. The mold itself may cause production losses separate and apart from any toxin effects.

What is the white stuff on hay?

In hay, the white mold in the bale is the mycelium and dustiness is from the tiny spores. The potential for hay molding starts even with the standing hay crop where bacteria protects the plant from fungal and yeast infections.

Will cows eat wet hay?

Cows can eat some wet hay or they just tear it off the outside and get to the dry hay inside. This is not, however, a good plan for feeding horses, who can be sickened by eating wet, deteriorating hay.

What can I do with old wet hay bales?

Use the straw in your garden as mulch. Use it to plant potatoes. Use it to make compost, especially if you have chickens. In fact, use it as chicken bedding or other animal bedding.

Can you compost moldy hay?

Moldy hay is a great material to compost. Whomever told you otherwise is not familiar with the microbes in the soil. Molds are everywhere and they need to be.

At what temperature does hay mold?

“Hay bale temperatures of 120°F to 130°F will likely result in mold growth and will make the protein in the hay less available to animals,” Hartschuh says. While these temperatures will not cause fires, continued mold growth can raise temperatures to dangerous levels.

Do hay rings save hay?

These feeders have also shown to reduce the amount of wasted hay as compared to traditional hay rings. Hay rings allow cattle to feed without wasting hay by trampling or bedding in it.

How many bales of hay does a cow need for winter?

For a cow needing 8,190 pounds of hay per year and a bale weight of 960 pounds, divide 8,190 by 960 for a yearly need of about 8.5 bales per cow. Multiply this by the total number of weaned cattle in your herd. For example, 45 cows multiplied by 8.5 bales per cow results in a total need of 383 bales.

What is the most efficient way to feed cows hay?

Processing or grinding hay is the most efficient method for limit-feeding, but rolling out bales on frozen ground is also an option. Monitor body condition scores and adjust feed accordingly to maintain cows at a body condition of 5/9 and heifers at a body condition of 6/9.

How can I make my hay more palatable for cattle?

Hay with more than 20% moisture can mold, and mold is probable at 22% moisture. At about 12% moisture, hay starts to be brittle. Brittle hay can be softened, however, with the addition of water. Though moistening of dry hay will improve its palatability to livestock, it won't improve its nutritional quality.

Is grinding hay worth it?

Grinding or chopping hay reduces waste, increases the palatability of hay, and breaks up the “stemmy” pieces. Many times, you can also mix or blend different types of hay to encourage cattle to eat lesser quality hay. Processors can also improve palatability by eliminating a lot of dust, mold and mildew issues.