# How Much Alfalfa Hay per day per Steer this winter?



## ShezaWildOne (Feb 20, 2007)

How Much Alfalfa Hay per day per steer do you feed in the winter?


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

How big?


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

3% of the body weight of the animal being fed. A 600 lb. steer will need 18 lbs of good hay and full access to clean water. People sometimes fail to realized the importance of good water to the animal.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

agmantoo said:


> 3% of the body weight of the animal being fed. A 600 lb. steer will need 18 lbs of good hay and full access to clean water. People sometimes fail to realized the importance of good water to the animal.


agmantoo is right, I couldn't remember the body weight percentage. Amount can vary some by cold weather, and quality of hay.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Just curious, but why feed alfalfa hay to a steer?? I would rather feed a quality grass as its usually cheaper and a steer doesn't really need alfalfa.


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## Karin L (Oct 5, 2006)

Alfalfa has more protein than your quality grass. A typical growing steer needs more protein than a mature cow does, in order to have adequate gain and muscling. No, a steer doesn't REALLY need alfalfa, but there's higher nutrient quality in alfalfa than grass, even though your gonna have problems with bloat.

GRass, being carbonaceous roughages are "lower in protein content and in quality of proteins, lower in calcium, and generally deficient in carotene (vit. A). Thus, where nonlegume roughages are used for extended periods of, these nutritive deficiencies should be corrected; this is especially true with the gestating-lactating cow or the young, growing calf (i.e., feeder steer-calves)"

Just my 2 cents.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Yeah, I know its a better hay, but at least double the price as a good grass hay in my area. I'd rather the steer got there a tiny bit slower on grass hay, than to dish out twice the money to make up that bit of growth. After all, he is just going in my freezer. If it takes him an extra month to get there, its still cheaper than feeding alfalfa all winter.
I understand some places its easy to buy alfalfa. But not here.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

Higher protein hay requires less hay. Figure that plus hay needed for an extra month. I don't feed alfalfa exclusively, but, use it with grass hay. Doesn't require as much grain either, so , the cost factor isn't so simple. Of course grass fat beef is a whole nother ball game.


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## Karin L (Oct 5, 2006)

But, when you feed them on grass hay, you'd have to supplement them with grain or something with high protein and calcium to get the rate of growth you want.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

I'm not arguing that alfalfa isn't a better feed. Of course it is! If you can get it and can afford to feed it to a freezer steer all winter, then please do so. I know about the benefits of alfalfa, I am a dairy goat breeder after all.  
But our Jersey steers have always gotten grass hay in the winter and pasture during the warm months. as young calves they get a little grain, and then no grain until they are about ready to butcher. They grow just fine and they are in the freezer by 1-1/2 to 2 years of age. And put together, its still cheaper than buying alfalfa for the winter. *Around here*.
If I was going to feed a steer alfalfa, I would be buying an alfalfa grass mix hay, not pure alfalfa.


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## mtman (Sep 2, 2004)

Karin L said:


> Alfalfa has more protein than your quality grass. A typical growing steer needs more protein than a mature cow does, in order to have adequate gain and muscling. No, a steer doesn't REALLY need alfalfa, but there's higher nutrient quality in alfalfa than grass, even though your gonna have problems with bloat.
> 
> GRass, being carbonaceous roughages are "lower in protein content and in quality of proteins, lower in calcium, and generally deficient in carotene (vit. A). Thus, where nonlegume roughages are used for extended periods of, these nutritive deficiencies should be corrected; this is especially true with the gestating-lactating cow or the young, growing calf (i.e., feeder steer-calves)"
> 
> Just my 2 cents.


good hay and a lick tub of 30 or 38 % is all youll need and a tub will last forever with just a few head


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