how much hay will my Dexter eat and how to feed it efficiently

How much hay will a Dexter cow eat, and what is the most efficient way to store and feed hay? It’s the height of hay feeding season, and I’ll answer these questions. I’ll also give you some simple tools to calculate your hay needs, whatever the size of your herd and the length of your feeding season.
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[@oz951]

I've watched 4 of your hay related videos and they have answered so many questions that were in my mind. Thank you so much for taking the time to make such informative, well structured content, your efforts are much appreciated. Keep up the excellent work! Cheers from Australia.

[@WhereMyChicken]

These videos are getting better with every one I watch. I don't farm but I wanted to take notes while watching this video! Outstanding!

[@Jack-nn6ff]

I was doing my own calculations for 2 cows and 2 calves as I was watching the video, then you did the exact same math as an example. perfect explanation, looking forward to prime harvesting season video👍.

[@MissingLinkMTB]

Absolutely love your channel. I've been working with Angus but considering getting dexters for my own farm.

[@roxsanakourov.4513]

Pete you make videos that have educational value, especially to new inexperienced farmers, you and Hillary work equally hard, so you show new couples what can be expected, and the videos where you two share the work by going to the farmers market, keep the videos coming

[@laststrawfarmkids6272]

This is th dr exact information I have been looking for. Been thinking of moving into dexter cows.

[@TheMysticBohemian]

Thanks for the numbers. Here in NC we have a bit longer season, but when working out a business plan I like to use higher numbers than what I may actually need so yours are perfect.

[@zaneymay]

Thank you for this video! I was told I was over feeding my Dexters. After watching this I am making some adjustments.

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Hi ZaneyMay, you're welcome! During the winter months we feed our Dexters "free choice;" hay is always available to them. We've never had a problem with over feeding. If we were feeding straight alfalfa or adding a grain supplement this could be a problem though.

[@vincerestivo1860]

Pete, I’m curious as to how much alfalfa is in your hay? Thanks so much for investing in us newbie farmers! We so enjoy your videos and appreciate all the things you teach us!

[@macariollamas1512]

Thank you for your video its very useful.

[@GLWhitt]

Great information. Thank you

[@leatimothy9858]

Great info. Thanks Pete.

[@JL-xn3zy]

Very informative.👍

[@jeanclaudeguindon4657]

It is very intéressant all your doing thank you gentil pit

[@TheStormisComing24]

I seriously was just trying to google this less than a week ago. lol Thank you!

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

You're welcome Bernie!

[@briannewberry2999]

Well said!

[@garystearns6957]

Great information.

[@FuerstenbergE]

Hey Pete, you should also include how much land it might require to grow the hay!!

[@RASDB7]

Excellent video 🎬

[@johnball3502]

Very informative

[@pwrmx24]

Great information. Do you have a video on where and how you keep them in the winter. We're trying to figure out balancing giving them room in the winter but keeping them from putting pressure on the pasture when we feed hay. How much room do you give them and do you rotate them around or just lock them up in a large paddock? Thanks.

[@10lauset]

Cheers

[@r.timnolin1317]

Thank you for the calculations. We just obtained a hybrid mini-Jersey heifer and hybrid mid-Highland steer that are less than a year and are trying to figure the right amount of feed. Do you also use distiller grains and/or range cubes and if so what sort of percentage do you use in relation to hay?

[@alanfujimori1127]

I'm not in ag but love your process oriented approach to farming. Just like an architect. You supposed Paladio was also describing farming when he defined architecture as firmness, commodity and delight?

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Hi Alan, I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, but I was big on process when I was an architect, and I guess I brought that into farming. I definitely think Palladio's principles could apply! After all, he was interpreting Greek & Roman principles, and many of them were based in nature.

[@alanfujimori1127]

@@JustaFewAcresFarm Saw you wearing a Harvard T-shirt. Did you graduate from the GSD? I'm a MLA'83. Keep up the great videos. I enjoyed all of them. Thanks.

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

@@alanfujimori1127 ha ha, no I went to Syracuse. Got that shirt when I gave a presentation in Cambridge.

[@marvinmulford2536]

My dad taught me that if hay is dry enough to bale, it's dry enough to put in the barn!

[@willowriverranch7965]

What if you live somewhere very dry? Does it still lose that much value? We’re around 20% humidity. High is 35% and low is 10% or less. No one stores hay inside here… we buy hay that sits outside. $165/bale, 1200lbs. We figure we paid $100/cow/month and fed February-May. We’ll be keeping better track this year. Unfortunately, we need to irrigate to be able to grow hay, which will cost $6k the first year between getting the well running and paying the bill to use our water rights….

[@lynnedavis6757]

what do you for water trough? Do you use metal ones?

[@emilyengle29]

Can you pasture them with a two strand solar powered fence?

[@Kristian_Saile]

That’s some crazy math about losses when rolling out and storing outdoors.

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Yep, not so much losses if you have enough cattle to eat one or more round bales in a day, but still appreciable losses especially from unrolling on the ground. When it takes 5 days for a small herd such as ours to finish a bale, then if you're feeding outside a huge percentage of the hay gets wet and trampled.

[@Kristian_Saile]

Just a Few Acres Farm makes sense. I think you have us sold in Dexters. I think with the size and scale of our place and a smaller herd going square bales will be the way to go plus we have an old barn that square bales will be more manageable in. Stay cool over there!

[@aidanallen783]

We are on our way to look at some dexters any should I look for, ask about etc?

[@MichaelYuhas]

Pete did video #33 on just that topic. Link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKDFdamYjsx3o80

[@mikehalpin7542]

Hi There, I’ve changed to silage this year. I bought 14 round bales for my 2 cows two yearlings and two calfs. I’m in Ireland so I can source more hay or silage. Have you experience feeding silage rather hay. I’m year 3 with my Dexters. This is my first year with silage.

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Hi Mike, I don't have any experience with feeding silage (or baleage as it's called here). I'll bet your cattle will love it though, since it's more palatable than dry hay.

[@davidj.mackinney6568]

What kind of hay are you using?

[@jacquesyoung7010]

great video. I am looking at growing dexters for beef for family meat use and maybe to sell if I can get the herd up to that size. I live in west central Fl. have about 17 acre that is mixed between cleared land and wooded. what is the better way to go buying calves and going from there or buying older. was thinking of starting with on bull and one hefer. and growing out from there. is it better to buy from an individual or at an auction. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Hi Jacques, definitely buy from an individual if you can, that way you can get an idea of how the animal was raised and any calving or other health issues. And buy registered Dexters; it's your only real assurance they are Dexters. Best way to start a herd is buying bred cows with calves at their side. That way you're buying a proven mother who is already pregnant with another calf. I would not purchase a bull as part of a starter herd. Artificial insemination will be cheaper for you than having to feed a bull to only service a few cows. Best of luck!

[@jacquesyoung7010]

@@JustaFewAcresFarm thanks for the timely response and the information

[@russsherwood5978]

do you /have you sold/sell just weaned calves? thank you for the video,, have a warm, safe blessed day

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Hi Russ, we never have. We're still focused on expanding our herd & increasing beef production. We can make more money growing out a heifer & sending it to slaughter than selling it for breeding. That may change in the future!

[@russsherwood5978]

@@JustaFewAcresFarm oh i was just cerious is all, thanks for the video

[@michaelflores9796]

Hi Pete its our first year farming. We have 3 heifers with calfs. We just ran out of hay and there is nothing for sale in our area. Would it be ok to feed the cows just grain for the remainder of the winter? If so how much per cow. They weigh roughly 800-900 lbs. Thanks

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Don't do that, it will kill them! Google "cattle acidosis"

[@Kberrysal]

Have you seen any of Greg Judy's videos, His philosophy of on rolling the hay on the ground is that the sea from the hay Used to reseeding the field, i think that's more or less of his idea

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

I have seen some of his videos. As I said in this video, I don't have enough extra hay to unroll it on the ground.

[@martysaskatchewan740]

150 days eh where are you located? We use 150 days also. Living in northwest central Saskatchewan Canada.

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

We are in Central New York.

[@GLWhitt]

How do you handle the bales in the barn to feed them? Unrolling inside the barn?

[@martysaskatchewan740]

Please do not underestimate the value of that trampled hay. Bale grazing is a very effective way to deliver high manure and urine density. There is waste yes but its really not wasted in the big picture. *edit* of course it all depends on your feeding and management plan. Different needs different plans.

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Hi Marty, Agreed. In our circumstances, it makes more sense to run the hay through the animal before it provides fertility for the soil, vs making more hay to have a percentage trampled.

[@braxtongarceau5041]

How much hay does an average highland cow eat do you think?

[@JustaFewAcresFarm]

Hi Braxton, you can use the same 3% per day formula. Mature Highland cows weigh about 1,000 lbs, bulls a little more. That would be around 30 lbs hay/day.

[@braxtongarceau5041]

Thanks much

[@FloridaJack]

I can always use a math lesson.