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You could argue that compared to other livestock, cattle are pretty simple to feed – get them grazing during the growing season and feed them bales in the winter. However, this relatively simple feeding system begins to fall apart when you get hit by drought; forage isn’t growing in your pasture and the price of hay goes through the roof. During a dry year, you might want to look into alternatives to hay that can help your cattle get the baseline nutrition they need and get you and your ranch through the year.
In this episode, we are joined by Barry Yaremcio of Yaremcio Ag Consulting Ltd to learn more about feed alternatives.
Highlights:
- 1:45 – Barry shares his background.
- 3:16 – What types of forage should cows eat?
- 3:49 – What types of forage are bad for cows?
- 5:59 – Barry shares his top recommendations for feed alternatives.
- 8:27 – What should calf-cow producers should think about when purchasing feed alternatives?
- 13:28 – How do you determine what rations and amount to feed?
- 19:26 – What else should producers be mindful of when using feed alternatives?
- 21:50 – Can canola be used as a feed alternative?
- 24:30 – Barry shares his advice when planning for a drought.
Useful Links:
Want to learn more?
Listen to the following episodes to learn more about feed alternatives and how to prepare your operation for a drought:
Our Farmers Blog is also a great source for stories of producers in Alberta who are going the extra mile with their management practices for the land, food and their communities.
