UGA Beef Team Tips:
- Cows, yearlings and calves may need as much as 20% more energy supply when temps drop and/or conditions are wet. Weight loss, reduced gains and poor conception can occur with long enough duration of cold, wet temperatures without proper management changes.
- Cows within 60 days postpartum are at highest need for supplementation when forage is sufficient, particularly needing feedstuffs that provide energy such as corn, soy hulls and cottonseed.
- Producers that have tested stored forage are at an advantage. When TDN falls below 50%, energy supplementation is needed for all stages of production.
- Forage should also be above 7% crude protein. A feedstuff with 12% crude protein will help meet daily requirements.
- Feeding in the evening can be helpful to boost body temperature during the colder evenings verses morning feeding.
Latest edition of the UGA Forage Extension Team Newsletter:
It includes articles on:
- Watch out for moldy hay – Lucy Ray, Morgan County
- Troubleshooting Oat Problems – Savannah Tanner, Emanuel County
- Should I burn my hayfield? – Jeremy Kichler, Colquitt County
- Importance of Potassium – Carole Knight, Madison County
These articles are also posted on the forage team blog at https://site.extension.uga.edu/forageteam/
