Post by rd200 on Mar 2, 2015 14:50:07 GMT -5
What's your thoughts on the whole Grain, no grain thing?? Id like to limit grain. Corn in particular. I have a Jersey crossbred heifer that's going to freshen in about 6wks. So I'm starting to think about what to feed her when she freshens. She has only had pasture, hay, & free choice salt & mineral & kelp since I bought her when she was about 4months old. She's grown great and looks fabulous. She will freshen at about 23months old. Her condition is pretty ideal for right now. If I have Dairy quality alfalfa hay for her to eat free-choice, is that going to be enough?? I'm not looking for top production just want to make sure she keeps a healthy condition and doesn't get too thin when she starts milking. (FYI- I have right now about 70 bales of 3rd crop straight alfalfa, real nice and tender & green) that I am planning on feeding to her once she calves. Now she's on 2nd crop Grass/Alfalfa mix. probably 60/40. And occasionally some 2nd crop all grass gets thrown in there when its a little warmer outside.
I'm in WI so she's only really on pasture from about April-October. But the pasture isn't anything too special but she did fine on it all last summer with only an occasional few slabs of hay here and there and kept a nice body condition. Obviously once she starting milking, its different so I'll have to feed more hay. but is grain really necessary???
Im not completely opposed to it but id like to do non-gmo grain. And the organic feedmill in town is the only place to get it and its like $23 a bag (50lbs) for their Dairy Mix (16%) which seems to be ALOT for 50#s of feed.
Or is there just something that I can mix up myself to feed her while she's milking? I don't know enough about nutrition to create a mix for her. But it would be nice to have a little something to keep her occupied while I milk her. Any recipes or thoughts?? Thanks much!