Georgia’s drought conditions have cattlemen worried about how
the lack of rain is affecting their winter hay supply.

When you rely on hay to feed your animals, you have good
reason
to worry when the fields are parched. Newton County cattleman
James Ruark is praying for rain for his alfalfa hay fields. “My
fields only got about a half an inch of rain in April and that’s
not hardly enough to do any good,” said Ruark. “We’re
not out of grass or out of pasture, but we’re not in great shape
either.”

Looking ahead, cattlemen know that weather conditions this
summer determine how they will feed their cattle this winter.
University of Georgia animal scientists recommend farmers take
an inventory now and plan ahead for the winter months.

“The
first thing to remember is not to panic because you
have time to prepare for the winter,” says Mark McCann, an
animal scientist with the UGA College of Agricultural and
Environmental
Sciences. “Next, cattlemen need to inventory their feed sources
and determine what they have versus what they will need this
winter.”
McCann says cows normally eat from 20 to 25 pounds of hay per
day.

He also suggests cattlemen look into alternative feed sources.
“Crop residues, such as wheat and rye straw, can be used
as cattle feed sources,” said McCann. “They aren’t ideal
for cows, but they will provide roughage.”

But if crop conditions don’t improve, McCann suggests
cattlemen
be prepared to take action, before winter arrives. “Take
a head count and then count your hay supply,” says McCann.
“Once you have that figure, sell the cattle you know you
won’t be able to feed.”

But which ones should be sold first? “If a cow isn’t pregnant,
sell her because she’s not offering revenue and she’s occupying
space needed for productive members of the herd,” said
McCann.

James Ruark has already applied McCann’s advice. “I sold
a load this morning and shipped them to a feedlot,” he said.
“Maybe the weather will turnaround and help us. I hope it
does.”

The animal scientist says Georgia’s hay crop is actually ahead
of schedule due to the lack of rain. “Hay cutting is ahead
this season because of the dry weather, but the tonage of hay
is down,” said McCann. “The nice thing to always remember
is, pastures and day crops can rebound very quickly. We just have
to keep our fingers crossed and pray for rain.”

(Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA.)