The Bovine Bugle

The switch to round hay bales signals the coming of winter

Today we started feeding round bales to the milking herd for the first time since May. The amount of forage out in the grazing paddocks is dwindling, and we want to start feeding stored forage before we see a drop in production from the cows. It also makes a better transition from grass to stored feed if we start feeding one bale of hay per day while there is still grass to graze out in the paddocks. In a couple of weeks we will build up to feeding 3 round bales per day to the milking herd which will meet all their forage needs.

We have had a great fall for grazing with the warm, sunny weather we enjoyed all through September. Normally we start feeding a round bale a day in early or mid-September but we were able to hold off until the first week of October this year. This is quite a savings since we pay $35/bale delivered to the farm. Our feed supplier, Dennis Demar, hopes to deliver at least half of the winter's supply of round bales in the next few weeks. We normally use about 700 round bales each winter to feed the dairy herd and the older heifers and steers wintering outside in the pole barn.

It's a little humbling when we start feeding the round bales. This signals the coming end of grazing season, an end to lush, green grass, to cows lazily chewing their cuds out in the sunny pasture, an end to an easier time on the farm in regards to feeding and caring for the animals. It reminds us winter, with all its challenges and extra chores, is just around the corner. Bring it on!

--Jonathan, Howmars Farm
Franklin, Vermont