When it comes to cattle winter forage, what is the best practice? As the weather gets colder, you find yourself in one of two positions. Either feeding stored forages or dormant forages. This can put you in a risky spot. Check out some winter forage tips below to get you through the winter months.

Evaluate Forage Inventory:

• If you haven’t already, double-check your inventory. Do you have enough on hand? Will it be enough to cover their nutritional requirements? If you have some questions about how much you should set aside, come talk to us at the store!

Pay Attention:

• Forage quality encompasses nutrient and storage quality. Knowing storage quality means you know your risk for molds, yeasts, and mycotoxins. It’s important to do a forage test before supplies become limited. Also, avoid eyeballing. You want to be confident in the exact amount of inventory.

Fill the Gap:

• Create a forage supplementation plan to match forage quantity and quality. If there is a gap, protein will often be the first limiting nutrient. An excellent product to add in is Purina Acuration Supplements, it will help optimize digestibility and intake of low-quality winter forage. They come in many forms and ensure your cows are covered through winter and beyond.

The bottom line? Know what you’re feeding your cattle and have a plan to fill any nutritional gaps, so you’re not forced to make a quick reaction when cattle performance drops. Taking action for cattle winter forage now is the most important action you can take.

Stop by the store to check out our products and ask us any questions you may have!