Straw for bedding

**cowman** · Feb 20, 2006, 06:15

Well a lot of people don't anymore. Say it doesn't hurt them a bit.
Now personally I put out a lot of straw and am a firm believer in it, but then I was raised to think that way. As my old Dad used to say "If you don't want to take care of them the right way then don't own them"!
I went to a seminar once where the main speaker ran about 1200 cows out in east central Alberta. His philosophy was to do everything as cheap as he could? He said no need for straw...you can bed them right out in the snow! I remember thinking "I'd like to bed you out in the snow when its forty below with a southeast wind blowing!"
But to each his own? Personally I believe you can't treat a living animal like you would a piece of machinery? You do have an obligation to them.

**cowman** · Feb 20, 2006, 07:59

even though the cows are out un the field swath grazing, they still have access to there old bedding pile if they want it. They use it less these days, but I think it has helped in the long run ( some content and old cows).

In this day and age of animal health protocols, I can't help but wonder as I drove around the country during our recent cold windy spell, if some of the critters I've seen toughing it out out there were gaining or losing ground ( if you get my drift ), because there certainly wasn't too much nice snow to bed down in either....

Its my opinion you can have a bit of both as conditions warrent, rather than one or the other for example.

**cswilson** · Feb 20, 2006, 09:08

You either have to bed them lots or not at all-the first time I saw cattle wintered with no straw was when I was working in Alberta on a big Charolais outfit-ourselves we don't use much just a load or two for the yard cattle-unless were wintering on straw and pellets then they have lots. Were bale grazing this winter so the cows have some hay to lay on I suppose-it's cheaper than straw to buy this year.

**cswilson** · Feb 20, 2006, 10:51

I put greenfeed out and let them pick through it and use the rest for bedding. If I don't have greenfeed I use straw. In my view cows on good bedding eat less because they will have a dry place to bed down vs eating all the time to keep warm.

I am with cowmans father on this one, if I can't look after them I won't own them.

**grassfarmer** · Feb 20, 2006, 11:01

The science on this issue indicates that if there is plenty fresh clean snow that it insulates the cattle just as well as straw so it's not a case of looking after versus neglecting the cows. I don't bed normally as the cows winter out in the fields - if there is enough snow for water there is enough for bedding. The cows come through the winter spotless with no tag and their hair working as it should to insulate them. If you bed them with straw you would need to keep them spotless to compare and most cows I see that are corral wintered have tag on them.
This has not been a great year for wintering cows on snow LOL, anyone else having trouble with this issue?

**cswilson** · Feb 20, 2006, 12:16

My worst year ever-we've lost a few head to slipping on the ice-the snows all gone and the dugouts are too slipperry to water out of. It's costing me as much to get water hauled as it is to feed them.

**Willowcreek** · Feb 20, 2006, 16:23

I like grassfarmers science-- because a cow seldom sees bedding on my place...Only if she calves in the middle of a storm or cold spell and gets to spend a few hours in the barn...

**Willowcreek** · Feb 20, 2006, 17:47

I never winter cows in a corral, they are wintered in a 20 acre pasture with trees for shelter.

**Muttley** · Feb 20, 2006, 22:35

I use very little straw until calving time. I do however make sure they have ample wind protection and quality feed. If the weather is extremely cold I do bed a little. I find the cows will lay on the clean snow or around the feeders.

Today I bedded my heifers as they will be calving soon, tonight over half were laying away from the straw even though there is lots of room.

Straw for bedding