How much hay should a cow need for the winter? Features of keeping animals

Summer is a hot season for those who are professionally engaged in breeding of farm animals. It is during this period that farmers need to have enough cows to feed enough for the whole winter. After reading this article, you will learn about the main features of the content of cattle in the cold season.

What to give the animals in the cold?

Any landlord must take care of his livestock in advance, so many inexperienced farmers are concerned about what to feed the cow in the winter. In the cold months, the basis of the lactating individual's diet should be hay, root crops and silage. If you lack a dry grass, then the situation can be corrected. In this case, it can be partially replaced with chaff and spring straw. By the way, the nutritional value of the latter is in no way inferior to poor-quality dried grass.

Those who are interested in how much hay is needed for the cow for the winter should take care to prepare enough other fodder. So, during this period in the ration of cattle must be present beets. It contains amides, which contribute to the production of milk. This root is rich in sugar, but it has very few proteins. That is why it is recommended to give it in combination with mixed fodder, bran, barley or oatmeal.

What do you need to consider while storing winter fodder?

Despite the seeming simplicity, hay making is a complex process, requiring certain knowledge. It is necessary not just to mow the grass in time, but also to dry it properly. On this depends the quality and nutrition of the finished hay. In order to preserve as many vitamins and other valuable substances as possible in the finished product, the grass should be dried as soon as possible. Do not do this under the open sunlight, because in this case from the sloping vegetation the lion's share of useful components will evaporate.

It is also important to take into account that legumes are dried longer than cereals. Particular attention should be given to flowers and leaves, since these parts of plants contain many valuable substances. Harvesting of hay in the forest-logging regions implies a preliminary withering of the mown grass, followed by pressing into loosened swaths.

Features of care for animals in the cold season

Those who think that changes concern only the diet are deeply mistaken. Despite the fact that many owners prefer to lock animals in the barn, fearing that staying in the cold will result in hypothermia and decrease in milk yields, the content of cows in winter presupposes a short walk of the herd in the fresh air. In fact, healthy individuals will not be harmed by a two-hour walk in the pen, located near the cattle farm.

It is important that the place of walking is as much protected from the cold wind. It is desirable to equip this pen with feeders filled with fresh spruce or pine branches. It is recommended to accustom gradually to such walks of animals. It is better to do this in the autumn. Do not let the cattle on the street in twenty-degree frost, in the rain and snow.

How much hay should a cow need for the winter?

In fact, there are no clearly defined standards. This indicator depends on many factors, including the mass of the animal and the volume of milk produced. An important role is played by the fact in which period of pregnancy there will be one or another individual.

For those who want to understand how much hay is needed for a cow for the winter, it will be interesting to know that this also depends on the quality and quantity of the entire forage reserve. The average daily rate per animal is about fifteen kilograms. But if in the ration of livestock there are additionally various food waste, concentrated and juicy feed, then this amount will decrease.

The quality and nutritional value of the hay itself has an important influence. If it turns out to be light and low-calorie, its consumption will change in the direction of increase. Taking as a basis the average daily rate of fifteen kilograms of hay, you will have to procure three tons of this product for the season.

Warming of a barn

Having decided on how much hay is needed for a cow for the winter, it is important to say a few words about where these animals should live in the cold season. If possible, a shelter intended for keeping cattle should be insulated. You need to do this in advance.

If necessary, glaze the windows and repair the front door. Also you need to make sure that the exhaust ventilation pipe is working. It is important to remember that, according to the established standards, the optimum temperature in the shed where the cows live is between eight and twelve degrees. It is recommended to use pre-dried sphagnum peat as litter . In case of deficiency of this material, it can be partly replaced by sawdust, fallen leaves or wood shavings.

Conclusion

The basis of the ration of cattle is hay. It should be harvested for the winter at a rate of 3-5 kilograms per one centner of live weight. Consequently, one cow per day is able to eat about 15 kg of this product.

To calculate how much hay should be harvested, it is necessary to multiply the average daily rate by the duration of the stall period. In addition, one cow is recommended to feed about five kilograms of chaff and straw. They also need to stock up in advance.

Equally important role in the feeding of cattle is given to concentrated foods. For these purposes fodder crops are best suited, including barley, wheat and oats. It is important to ensure that the animal does not put on the moldy grain, as this can be bad for its health.