Winter supplements for beef cows

Beef cows depend on hay for winter sustenance and growth, but much of the hay produced is inferior in quality, providing lower nutrient content and digestibility than the requirements of pregnant or spring calving beef cows. Supplementation with energy and protein sources increases nutrient content of diets and may enhance hay digestibility. UGA animal and dairy scientists conducted research with 78 spring-calving beef cows to compare diets of hay only, hay with whole cottonseed and hay with a hot-poured molasses protein product. Although it may require additional labor, feeding cottonseed to wintering beef cows resulted in higher cow gains and less loss of body weight during the spring drought following supplementation than when cows were fed hay alone or a protein supplement.