Straw for bedding

[mb_rancher]

Anyone that says cows dont need bedding should strip off their duds and hop into the snow themselves with -30 temps. Bet they wouldnt treat their cattle like that anymore. If you cant afford straw you shouldnt have cattle. Talk about animal abuse. They deserve a good bed like the rest of us.

[nicolaas]

I don't use bedding, cows on maintenance ration seem to do fine. Thats one of the reasons we calve out in the summer. Up north we have thicker haired cattle, and select heifers with this trait. I'd rather feed straw than have them lay on it. Our back ground calves are a different story, as we try to maximize our daily gain. I believe you are making money by bedding these critters down, and it is important to keep tagging to a minimum prior to sale.

[grassfarmer]

Quite agree nicolaas, it's about picking what suits the conditions and climate. If you wish to calve bare skinned cows in February on the prairies you are going to need bedding. Yet if we mention cattle with a good haircoat we are the focus of derision. Strange.

[FRENCHMAN]

I think It would also depend on the condition of the cows as well.

[cowman]

Well I've always preferred cattle with a good hair coat. Also cattle with a thick loose hide. The hereford breed has about the thickest hide of any around...ask any butcher?
Most legs don't have a lot of hair or fat on them? They come in contact with frozen ground? How comfortable is that?
Now I might be prejudiced because basically my straw is free and besides I rely on the cows to eat a lot of straw so like to give them lots to root around in. Don't have the straw in any one place but put it out all over the field. It can be a bit of a pain in the spring at times but a pass or two with the harrows spreads it fairly decent.
Lots of straw on the ground mixed with the manure eventually will bring you some different grasses and break up the darned june grass that dominates.
If you don't spread the straw around but just leave it where you bedded them in a couple of years it will be broken down with tall lush grass starting to grow. Dig down in there and you will find all kinds of earthworms! That is telling you something is happening that is right! You are building top notch soil!

[grassfarmer]

Cowman, "Well I've always preferred cattle with a good hair coat.....
most legs don't have a lot of hair or fat on them?" - do your cows shave their legs ;o)
Mine have hair on their legs - right down to the hooves. It's shorter, thicker hair than on their sides but hair and insulation none the less.

[grassfarmer]

How many of the guys that insist cows need bedding calve in the winter? Calves born in the winter are getting a far tougher deal than cows bedded in snow calving in May onwards. A 1300lb cow can stand a lot more than a 70lb new, wet calf.

[grassfarmer]

my cows calve in late February/March but I calve them in shelter pens so they are always full of clean bedding. The cow herd has straw or greenfeed as bedding just in case somebody decides to calve outside, and of course they have bedding other times as well.
This year I haven't used nearly as much because they were out grazing and lying in the field most of the time instead of bedding down near their feeders.

The time producers choose to calve their cows is a management tool, much like the breed of cattle they raise.
I hate calving in April due to mud. I have found that its a lot easier to drag a calf in if necessary on the snow than hauling one through the mud.

We have had 4" of nice fluffy snow here overnight, so the bedding that I put out yesterday is nowwhere to be seen !

[PureCountry]

With us calving in June/July, the calves were on the cows swath-grazing from the 3rd of Nov to the 1st of Feb, then bale-grazing until they got on the truck today at 3pm. They bedded down in brome and native grass in the bush and did just fine all winter. Damn fine. Heaviest set of calves we've ever weaned. No frozen teats on cows either. Mother Nature is alot easier to work with than against.

But, common sense ain't for everyone.lol

I know, I know, summer calving can't work for everyone with seeding or whatever. But I work off the farm and lead a fairly busy schedule and it works real good for us. Cows will amaze you with what they can do, if you give them the chance to show it.

But go ahead, keep 'em locked up and calve 'em in pens in cold weather. Treat their feet, treat their calves, pull their calves, rush 'em to the vet at all hours of the night for a zipper installation. Drench the weak ones and hold up the big dumb ones with no instinct to suck.

Go see your 'friend' at the equip dealer and have him 'help' you into a tractor and shiny bale processor. While you're in town, pick up that new silage cutter, and don't forget the 2nd tractor for it.

Well, I think I'll quit now before I step on everyone's toes. He, he. Have a good night all.

[grassfarmer]

I have a debate with my neighbour once in a while - he calves in February. When I ask if they would consider calving later he insists they couldn't - the corrals are too muddy in April. Fair enough I ask but is there a need to calf in corrals? Is there a need to calf in April?

Of course we all know the old story "I must calf in January because I've got purebreds and you must calf then if you are to sell bulls". Why? as an example Soderglen are calving in July now and they seem to be able to sell bulls. People are so set in their ways - it amazes me coming to one of the coldest countries in the world and finding people calving in the coldest months of the year. As Purecountry says it's good for the input suppliers - heat lamps, calf sledges, calf shelters, calf ear muffs. Good for the input suppliers - poor for the producers.