can cattle eat alfalfa hay

Feeding Rich Alfalfa Hay to beef cattle - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: I have purchased some second cut alfalfa hay, it is dry hay in 4x5 round bales. Alfalfa is universally considered as an excellent forage for livestock. Second cutting alfalfa can entice those cows to eat hay for another couple of weeks - long enough for the new grass to grow up tall enough to sustain the cows, and to sustain itself. A third group of cows fed the alfalfa hay ration and the grain and hay ration in alter- Alfasure liquid bloat product is 100% effective in preventing bloat and can be used during risk periods. Often, the price seems high, but one is not going to feed alfalfa to beef cows at an all-they-can-eat rate. To meet this highly demanding market, farmers are actively seeking for ways to improve on the quality and amount of milk production. Agronomic strategies such as the co-cropping of bloat safe legumes (ex, sainfoin, birdsfoot trefoil) with alfalfa and wilting of the alfalfa prior to consumption are being explored for their ability to provide additional bloat protection. Putting up forage in this manner, a producer can store a nutritious feed source for the animals to eat during the cold winter months. Cow milk is the most popular variety globally, and so the market is very demanding. Alfalfa is recognized as one of the most nutritious forages available and is widely used as conserved forage (ex, hay, silage) in the diets of beef and dairy cattle. Alfalfa contains digestible nutrients. Anything less will give you just that: less. In order for farmers to provide animals with sufficient feed rations, there is need to possess knowledge on feed management. Thus, to be sustainable in the future, forages must be a major component of any ruminant production system. This means that it is rapidly cleared thereby stimulating intake. Depending on the quality, it could also be a good protein source, but in most situations hay would be fed to meet the energy needs of the beef cow. High quality alfalfa is said to be the most ideal supplement for concentrate and grain feed. Cattle tend to eat more in the morning than the afternoon, and heavy dew in the morning also increases rate of digestibility, which increases the likelihood for bloat. Some molds can cause respiratory problems or abortion in pregnant cows. Even for a limited few who can afford commercially produced supplementary feed during dry seasons, they become financially strained as the cost in turn affects the price of produce. Alfalfa hay should be fed in bunks, troughs or in hay racks with feed troughs beneath to catch shattered leaves. However, as these forages become depleted, the risk of bloat increases and such a scenario is often responsible for bloat outbreaks two to three days after animals have been moved to a new pasture. The cost of feed is often beyond the financial capacity of most farmers. The bottom line is that producers should feed some alfalfa. The most common livestock grass hay varieties include Bermuda, ryegrass, brome, and fescue. Moldy hay has been fed to cattle for years. Management issues for feeding hay with sweet clover Knowledge of the interactions between the animal, plant and environment factors that lead to bloat is the key to profitable grazing alfalfa with minimal death loss. Environmental factors that interrupt regular grazing bouts on alfalfa pasture such as storms, exceptionally hot weather or biting flies can alter intake patterns and increase the risk of bloat. It was really dry here in Southern Ontario this past summer so there is very little grass that grew back for second cut so its almost pure alfalfa. In addition, it contains a significant amount of carbohydrates and minerals including calcium, phosphorus as well as magnesium. Alfalfa has an initial rate of ruminal digestion that is five to ten times greater than that of most grasses. 2 to 5 pm is better. Although many of these technologies can reduce the risk of bloat, none of them can guarantee bloat safe grazing of alfalfa under the management conditions. Since it is highly palatable, cows are able to consume an increased amount of feed that is needed for their growth. Uniform and regular intake is the key to managing animals on alfalfa pastures. As clearly stated, cows can eat alfalfa so as to boost their immune system allowing them some form of protection against diseases. Crushing or chemically eradicating the beetles does not diminish the toxin potency. Alfalfa is typically the cheapest feed supplement in late summer and early fall when grazing cows in their mid-trimester of pregnancy on low quality forages. Animal dietary plans lacking in trace nutrients result in ill livestock and declined productivity over time. Ruminants are unique in their ability to readily digest the cell wall components of forages and it is this ability that gives them a competitive advantage over other meat producing animals. However, as many a dairy farmer can attest to, cattle can still bloat on alfalfa hay, and long term frozen alfalfa should be considered bloat reduced, not bloat safe. By itself, alfalfa is too high in calcium and protein for healthy goats and should be limited to sick, pregnant, or debilitated animals. Cut at a later stage of development, canola that is fully podded and stemmy with little or no leafy material left on the plant, crude protein averages about 10 per cent, TDN 49.8 per cent, ADF 45.9 per cent, and calcium 1.1 per cent. Although one might think that the same effect would be achieved after a good fall frost, freezing can rupture plant cell walls and increase the release of soluble protein in the plant. It has lower levels of neutral detergent fibre and so feed is slowly digested in the rumen. Although all hay contains some mold, when mold becomes easily noticeable, the decisions become important. Alfalfa regrowth is a rich source of protein, energy, vitamins and minerals. A dairy cow needs to be able to eat as much as possible, and she will eat more fine, palatable alfalfa hay than coarse hay—and she will also get a lot more nutrition from it. Cows eat a mixture of food which includes grass silage, hay, alfalfa hay, grains, and let’s not forget corn. You need to feed deer a high-quality feed designed specifically for deer. Let’s start with hay. A combination of home grown hay, purchased alfalfa hay and a mineral supplement can be used to balance the nutritional needs of the cow herd during critical periods of the year. If soybean hay is chopped in a tub grinder, cows will eat practically all of it. Hay is primarily a livestock feed. At least 10 to 20 percent of soybean hay is wasted during feeding due to the coarse stems. Anderson warns, “Alfalfa reacts two ways to a hard freeze, down close to 20 degrees F, cold enough to cause plants to wilt. Alfalfa is ranked as one of the best feeds for breeding cattle, young growing stock as well as for fattening livestock. 4. Nonetheless, to dismiss its potential for beef cattle would be a mistake. Alfalfa is one of the few forages that is capable of sustaining levels of production that are comparable to those achieved in the feedlot. Maintenance of normal metabolism and health are common problems with high concentrate feeding. Feeding moldy hay to livestock is a tough decision. Forage can be a grass, or a legume such as alfalfa. Five to 7 pounds of alfalfa would be a great starting point for any nutritionist to start calculating a ration. The cows on alfalfa hay alone produced 83 percent as much milk and a little less than 85 percent as much butterfat as the cows that were fed alfalfa hay and grain. Often, the price seems high, but one is not going to feed alfalfa to beef cows at an all-they-can-eat rate. Make sure alfalfa hay is not moldy or dusty. Alfasure or Dioctol can also be used to relieve bloat in animals. This fact sheet discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of feeding alfalfa hay to beef cows. If I don’t plan to calve until next March, then right now my cows need about 1.4 pounds of protein a day and 9.5 pounds of total digestible nutrients (TDN). Animals will often experience mild bloat when they are first introduced to alfalfa, but this condition can often be treated by simply keeping the animal walking until the gas dissipates. Humans cannot digest alfalfa hay like cows can. This has led to most farmers growing alfalfa for the sole purpose of providing feed for cows. You could give the main feeding of timothy in the morning and give the bonus dessert type flake of alfalfa at night, once they’ve spent the day eating the timothy hay. Studies have shown that cows fed alfalfa perform better than their counterparts.  A study conducted on animals fed alfalfa versus those fed grain indicated that cows with alfalfa in their dietary plans gained more weight. “Usually, mold makes hay less palatable, which can result in lower intake or even in animals refusing to eat the hay. creep feed or creep grazing area for suckling beef calves, feed during a post weaning conditioning period, feed for well-milking beef cows after calving. You would not have cattle on 20 lbs barley, drop them down to 5 lbs (ie, grazing down to roots) and then back up to 20 lbs. 3. This hay is similar to a good quality alfalfa grass hay. A combination of home grown hay, purchased alfalfa hay and a mineral supplement can be used to balance the nutritional needs of the cow herd during critical periods of the year. ** Assumes average to poor quality grass hay, or crop residues. Major bouts tend to occur shortly after sunrise and early in the evening. In our experience, cattle that have not grazed alfalfa will invariably consume most of the other forages (ex, grasses, dandelions) that are present in pasture. It would be similar to us eating dried fruit, for example. Have "escape" pastures, the ability to exit from alfalfa if conditions for grazing are very poor. Alfalfa contains approximately 18% protein, depending on the time of harvest. 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