Getting Ready for Next Winter Winter Feeding Developing a new winter feeding strategy may Facilities take a significant investment of time and financ- es, but now is the time to begin working on your By Morgan Hayes, Ph.D., P.E. plan, so it can be ready for next winter. Over the Assistant Extension Professor Livestock Systems This enclosed gravel area allows a farmer to catch cattle for working, remove hay from the barn with- As hay season is upon us, this may seem like an out interference from the cattle, turn equipment and unusual time to talk about plans for winter feed- trailers around, and provides an opportunity for fence ing facilities, but now is the time for farmers to line feeding during difficult weather. make decisions about any changes they want to past three weeks, I have been assisting my family make in their winter feeding facilities. The heavy with a major investment in a large heavy use area rainfall in February and March challenged many to improve winter feeding, and while it has been farmers and forced them to consider alternative intense, the relief in having it ready for next win- ways to feed hay in the winter months. This ter is significant. spring and early summer I have received many questions about winter feeding options from the Fence Line Feeders fence line feeders like those demonstrated at Eden Shale to the concrete winter feed pads When thinking about winter feeding facilities, being supported there are a few considerations with the differ- by NRCS and state cost share to gravel heavy-use ent types of facilities that should be mentioned. pads to provide support for animals around hay Fence line feeders are particularly useful for the rings. effort is to feed along and establish drive or road. If your winter feeding strategy involves feeding
Winter Feeding Facilities By Morgan Hayes, Ph.D., P.E. Assistant Extension Professor Livestock Systems As hay season is upon us, this may seem like an unusual time to talk about plans for winter feed- ing facilities, but now is the time for farmers to make decisions about any changes they want to make in their winter feeding facilities. The heavy rainfall in February and March challenged many farmers and forced them to consider alternative ways to feed hay in the winter months. This spring and early summer I have received many questions about winter feeding options from the fence line feeders like those demonstrated at Eden Shale to the concrete winter feed pads being supported by NRCS and state cost share to gravel heavy-use pads to provide support for animals around hay rings. Getting Ready for Next Winter Developing a new winter feeding strategy may take a significant investment of time and financ- es, but now is the time to begin working on your plan, so it can be ready for next winter. Over the This enclosed gravel area allows a farmer to catch cattle for working, remove hay from the barn with- out interference from the cattle, turn equipment and trailers around, and provides an opportunity for fence line feeding during difficult weather. past three weeks, I have been assisting my family with a major investment in a large heavy use area to improve winter feeding, and while it has been intense, the relief in having it ready for next win- ter is significant. Fence Line Feeders When thinking about winter feeding facilities, there are a few considerations with the differ- ent types of facilities that should be mentioned. Fence line feeders are particularly useful for the effort is to feed along and establish drive or road. If your winter feeding strategy involves feeding
Final%20Extension%20Newsletter%20Summer%202018%20Issue%203.docx