With calving season on the horizon, it is time to start thinking about what you will need on hand for the upcoming season. 

In times of sky-high input costs, supplemental feeding strategies are at the top of the list of “sticker shock” items. As the cow herd moves into the winter months, how can we optimize our supplementation strategy? 

For many cow-calf producers, fall means calves have recently been sold or will be sold in the coming months, so this is a good time to evaluate how the calves did or are doing.

While getting an accurate count of stored feeds is important, understanding how far the stored feeds will go is necessary.

As fall sets in and feed prices continue to climb, I think we are all thinking about ways we can feed our cow herds for less. The first key to a cheap feed bill is to reduce the number of animals you are feeding. That means you only feed the ones you need to keep. 

Today, more than ever before, consumers care about where their food comes from. They want to know about its environmental impact. They worry about whether livestock animals are treated humanely. They want to know if their food is nutritious and safe to eat. And they will change their eating – and purchasing – habits based on all those factors.

The best way to utilize cornstalks is to graze them. Cattle graze selectively. Cattle first eat the remaining corn grain, then husks, then leaves and finally the stalk. 

Going into fall and winter, forage and hay supplies are limited for many producers. Fortunately, many areas have received some rain and may be able to produce some grazing from warm-season perennial forages this fall or plant some cool-season annuals.

In the southeast U.S., perennial grasses such as tall fescue, bermudagrass and bahiagrass make up a large portion of our annual hay crop.