Drought hurts MO hay supply - beef experts offer tips

By Blake Jackson

Low hay supplies pose a challenge for Missouri beef producers entering 2024, following severe drought conditions in 2022 and 2023, especially in Mid-Missouri. Eric Bailey, a beef nutrition specialist at the University of Missouri Extension, emphasizes the continued impact on the state's 43,000 cattle farms and ranches. With precipitation deficits of 12-20 inches before winter, producers face feeding dilemmas amid rising costs. 

Bailey urges producers to minimize winter feeding costs to $5 or less per cow per day. To address nutritional needs, he recommends evaluating the Total Mixed Ration (TMR) based on lactating (62%) and dry (55%) cow requirements. Producers are advised to feed based on nutrient requirements rather than appetite and make slight intake reductions, from 2.5% to 2.0% of body weight per day, to manage costs without compromising cow health. 

To stretch feed resources, Bailey provides practical tips: 

1. Utilize MU Extension’s Feedstuff Finder: A platform connecting producers and consumers of feedstuffs, helping cut transportation costs and manage winter feed supplies effectively. 
2. Budget-Based Feeding: Compare the cost of feeding hay versus corn, considering low corn prices and high hay costs. Evaluate which provides better nutrition for the budget. 
3. Reduce Hay Waste: Implement strategies to minimize hay waste and consider investing in covered storage to reduce spoilage. 
4. Infrastructure Investment: Explore investing in farm infrastructure, such as fences and watering systems, allowing grazing of cornstalks. 
5. Evaluate Mixer Investment: Assess if investing in a mixer can offset feed savings, potentially saving $50 per cow. 
6. Stocking Rate Analysis: Regularly assess stocking rates and be prepared to adjust, ensuring optimal resource utilization. 
7. Consider Cornstalk Grazing: Utilize cornstalks for grazing, limiting access to two months or less and allowing an acre per cow per month. 
8. Supplementing with Commodity Mix: If feeding cornstalks, supplement with 5 pounds of a 14% commodity mix per cow per day to achieve the desired crude protein intake. 

Bailey's insights aim to assist producers in navigating challenges, making informed decisions to sustainably manage feed resources during the coming months. 

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