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North Central ND | Here is what I found on the web. Kind of mimics what is said above. Just came from a university. I havent tried this in the past but I plan to feed my suplement at night this year to see if it makes a difference...
What about the situation where large round bales of hay are being fed to the cows and heifers? If the cows have unrestricted access to the hay around the clock, then the best method of influencing the time of calving is via the time of day that the supplement is being fed. At Oklahoma State University, the switch from supplement feeding in daytime to late afternoon/early evening feeding encouraged 72% of the cows to calve between 6 AM and 6 PM. These cows had 24/7 access to large round bales of grass hay. Before the change was made, when supplement was fed during the morning hours, the ratio of night time versus day time calving was nearly even, with half of the calves born at night and half during the day.
Some ranchers (usually with small herds) have reported success controlling access to the large round bales. The hay is fed within a small enclosed pasture or lot near a larger pasture where the cows graze during the day. In the evening, the gate to the area where the hay is placed is opened and the cows are allowed to enter and consume hay during the night. The next morning, they are moved back to the daytime pasture to graze until the following evening.
SOURCE: Dr. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Beef Specialist | |
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Feeding bred hiefer question?
