LIMOUSIN TODAY May_LimToday_WEB | Page 19

Management per day of bahiagrass hay and 3.6 pounds per head per day of whole cottonseed were fed to meet their nutritional needs. Table 2 shows the costs per beef cow per day, dollars per beef cow over 120 days, and the total cost for our 100-head cowherd. The estimated cost per head per day was $1.83 per beef cow, or $183 to feed 100 beef cows each day. Over the 120-day winter feeding period, feed costs totaled $220/beef cow and $21,972 for the entire 100-head cowherd. Winter feeding is one of the largest expenses for cow-calf operations in the Southeast. There are a lot of options worth considering, so this is not a decision that should be made at the last minute. I encourage you to work closely with your county extension agent, successful producers in your area, and with industry representatives to develop the most efficient plan to manage winter the feed costs for your cowherd. As margins get tighter for cow-calf producers, managing costs will become even more important. I Take Home Message Feeding those girls was expensive. It’s important to give this example some thought prior to making a plan for your 2019-2020 winter feeding season. The costs incurred for winter feeding beef cows in this example were large and real. Producers should evaluate alternatives and make adjustments to supplement their beef cows, while meeting their nutritional needs for the least cost possible. The following are some examples of ways this producer might have reduced his costs, compared to the system he chose. He could have: Grazed stockpiled forages with supplements for the first 60 days of the feeding period • Grazed cool-season annual forages for the second 60 days of the feeding period • Used feeding troughs to reduce supplement waste by 5-10% • Purchased higher quality hay (Bermuda or ryegrass), if available at a comparable price, to reduce supplement costs. He could have spent an additional $10 per bale, if the TDN was at least 55%. • Compared other bulk feed options to reduce supplement costs. But, supplement prices vary from year to year, so you have to do your homework. LIMOUSIN Today | 17