Think I'm farming in the wrong decade!

NewBeefFarmer

Hi all,

well, first it was 4ft stakes (which ill add can be got in swinford connaught gold, a but according to castlebar connaught gold they are a thing of the past) dont know why they didnt just send me to swinford. I only stumbled upon them when i walked in to the yard down there . . straight in front of me. . . any amount of them!. .:eek: (ud think CG shops would work together)

Any way, back to my reason for posting.

I have 4 round bales of 2009 hay. seems good to me, no musty smell, was baled good, but either the 3 lads are picky or just not hungry enough for it(still picking at 2 acres, not much on it though) I have a nice bit out for them in the shed, they bury their heads to find a sweet bit (i assume).
They just arent taking to it like i thought they would. So i said, ill try the old reliable. . . Hi Mr Connaught gold, can i have a tub of molasses please . . oh gess. . been a while since we had that. . thing of the past im afraid. . cant be got anymore:eek:. .. . yup. . castlebar CG.. . (im not liking Castlebar CG lately, always out of everything i want. . didnt have tractor oil at all the last week, and shelves in swinford coming down with the stuff.. .

anyway. .
Am i right or wrong to sprinkle a bit of watered down molasses on the hay? if so, what ratio??

will this cause an issue as after the 4 bales are gone, ill be starting on 2010 second cut round bales of silage? and dont fancy getting all sticky for the whole winter:D

:pac:Dont suppose ye know anywhere in Mayo ill get Molasses? assuming ye will think its ok to use!..

NBF. .
Dam, thats some rain!. . .

charliecon

If it were me I would give them the silage now and then perhaps one day a week give them the hay, don't know what it is but I find cattle get fed up of hay very quickly especially stuff thats a bit old . Anyway hay is inclined to "belly" cattle when they get too much of it plus they won't really put on much weight on it.

I wouldn't bother with the molasses either as you will run the risk of scouring them

real stig

charliecon wrote: »

If it were me I would give them the silage now and then perhaps one day a week give them the hay, don't know what it is but I find cattle get fed up of hay very quickly especially stuff thats a bit old . Anyway hay is inclined to "belly" cattle when they get too much of it plus they won't really put on much weight on it.

I wouldn't bother with the molasses either as you will run the risk of scouring them

Ya id agree a mix of mostly silage with a bit of hay is more likely to be eaten than hay alone. As charlie has said cattle get bored of hay very quickly.

real stig

charliecon wrote: »

If it were me I would give them the silage now and then perhaps one day a week give them the hay, don't know what it is but I find cattle get fed up of hay very quickly especially stuff thats a bit old . Anyway hay is inclined to "belly" cattle when they get too much of it plus they won't really put on much weight on it.

I wouldn't bother with the molasses either as you will run the risk of scouring them

Ya id agree a mix of mostly silage with a bit of hay is more likely to be eaten than hay alone. As charlie has said cattle get bored of hay very quickly.

Good loser

Just wait and they'll eat it. No molasses.