world wheat yield

[ALLFARMER]

At least cattle prices are stable. I heard a
prediction baby boomers sitting on their money is
going to mean low interest rates for the next ten
years. I would look forward to that!

[ALLFARMER]

Cows are starting to do well on alfalfa pellets and
straw. Been 3 days now and they seem to be
settling in to eating straw with a touch of hay. 7lbs
each cow 30 lb's/pail 29 pails/day, very doable.
Just waiting on the weather to warm up some!

[ASRG]

Allfarmer: It would be very interesting for you to keep us all informed how the pellets/straw thing works out? Perhaps a report on how you think it worked out after calving?

[ALLFARMER]

I don't know ASRG I usually try and keep things
pretty close to the vest. Sark.

1.5 weeks of log haul left and now they want to
start enforcing the speed limit on the bush road
.....o that's funny. Like who would care if they get
a day off at this point?

[TFLN]

Bunge?? Crush plants starting to buy wheat?

[ASRG]

I am intrigued by the straw/pellet thing. There is a guy a few miles from me who feeds his cows nothing but straw/pellets. His cows always look to be in good shape.
He has a tank on the side of the processor that lays the pellets on top of the swath.
He told me it costs less than bought hay hauled in. He bales straw close to his place.

[ALLFARMER]

Pellets figured out to cost$ 0.88 per cow per day.
Seems like cows eating about 1 an 3/4 bales per
day of straw $15 x 1.75 is $26.25 / 110 is $0.34
so $1.12 :day

Hay feeding was close to 3 bales a day recently
so 1.63/day

So hay would need to be less than $41/bale to bet
pellets.

[grassfarmer]

Allfarmer, do you know the analysis of the alfalfa
pellets or the straw? My guess would be that you are
going to be short of energy for late gestation/post
calving cows. Depending on the straw you could be
anywhere from 42-52 TDN, alfalfa depending if it is
sun cured or dehydrated will be in the 60-66TDN
range. Feeding 2:1 straw to alfalfa pellets would give
you a total ration TDN of 48-56 where you need to be
closer to 60 TDN.

[ALLFARMER]

Dehy alfalfa pellets 3.3 kg tdn for each kg of
protein. Made from fresh cut alfalfa.

The Legal Alfalfa plant has some ration emails
they send out. 1-877-253-2832

I am for certain no expert on ration building. I
should check with AB Ag info centre.


Basic Rations:
• 1500 lb cow
•- 8-9 lbs/head/day with free choice straw •
- 6-7 lbs/head/day with free choice hay •

1200 lb cow
- 7-8 lbs/head/day with free choice straw
- 5-6 lbs/head/day with free choice hay

[grassfarmer]

Something like this for a 1200lb cow at or after
calving:
27 lb DM intake × .59 TDN required = 16 lb/day TDN
required

23 lb straw × .50 TDN = 11.5 lb/day TDN from straw.

7lb alfalfa pellets × 0.649 TDN = 4.54 lb TDN from
alfalfa

11.5 lb/day TDN from straw 4.54 lb/day TDN from
alfalfa pellets = 16.04 lb/day TDN

A cow will struggle to eat that much straw in a day
though. I guess it depends how much hay you are still
feeding and how good the analysis is but I would
guess you are still short on energy.