Articles Archives - Page 2 of 27 - Kissimmee Valley Feed

Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Preparing Your Livestock for Winter Feeding

Friday, December 20th, 2024

Preparing Your Livestock for Winter Feeding: With colder weather on the horizon, many farmers and ranchers are preparing for the winter months. One of the most important things to consider when getting your animals ready for winter is their feed. During this time, hay becomes the most common type of feed for livestock. However, it is essential to ensure that you have enough hay to get your animals through the season. In addition, it is necessary to think about supplementing your hay with other feeds such as grain or grass to keep your animals healthy. We have some essential tips for feeding and nutrition that will help you prepare your livestock for winter.

1) Plan for Adequate Hay Supply

Before winter arrives, farmers and ranchers need to ensure that they have enough hay to meet the demands of their livestock. One of the key challenges in preparing for the winter months is predicting the amount of hay that will be required. To estimate your hay needs, you must consider the number of animals in your herd, their weight, and the duration of the winter months. To increase the amount of hay available, you may want to consider buying hay from other farmers. Purchasing a large quantity of hay can also help cut the cost per bale.

2) Supplement with Other Nutritious Feed

Unfortunately, hay alone may not be enough to provide your animals with the nutrition they need. During winter, your livestock needs an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, it is crucial to supplement their diets with other nutritious feeds. Grain is an excellent source of protein and helps to maintain body heat. However, you must be cautious when feeding grain to avoid overfeeding, which can cause digestive problems. Grass can provide your livestock with essential micronutrients. This means that you should graze your animals throughout the fall season before snow accumulates on the ground.

3) Provide Adequate Water

Water is critical to the health and survival of your livestock, particularly during the winter season. Since animals rely on hay to maintain their body heat, they consume less water, which can lead to dehydration. Therefore, it is essential to provide your animals with fresh, clean water at all times. Water sources should be checked daily to ensure that it is available and unfrozen. You can also consider installing heaters or de-icers for your water sources to keep them from freezing.

4) Monitor Your Livestock

During the winter months, it is essential to keep a close eye on your animals. Checking that they are eating adequately, drinking enough water, and staying warm is crucial. Moreover, monitoring your livestock helps to detect any signs of disease or illness that require vet attention.

5) Prepare Your Barns

As the cold weather sets in, you may want to prepare your barns for your animals’ comfort and safety. Ensure your barns have proper insulation, ventilation, and clean straw or bedding to keep livestock dry and warm. Ensure that all doors and windows are properly secured to keep the cold outside.

Preparing for winter and ensuring that your livestock’s feed and nutritional needs are met may seem overwhelming. However, with the right planning and preparation, farmers and ranchers can help their animals survive the harsh winter months. By Preparing Your Livestock for Winter Feeding, you can increase your animals’ health and well-being throughout the winter season.

Posted in Articles, Cattle, News & Updates | Comments Off on Preparing Your Livestock for Winter Feeding

Fall Maintenance for Healthy Winter Horses

Tuesday, December 10th, 2024

For example, here are some steps to take around the barn:

Stock up on quality hay and store it in a dry place
Outdoor hoses and water lines need to be drained or winterized
Installed and check water tank heaters
Fences and gates should be repaired, and high-traffic areas might need to be rebuilt or topped off to help manage mud in the coming months
Move all medications, chemicals, and other liquids to a frost-proof area
Give all barn areas a thorough cleaning
Check over winter blankets and make any needed repairs or replacements
Clean and store any sheets, flymasks, or tack that won’t be used
Have your horse trailer serviced and park it out of the way

In conclusion, Kissimmee Valley Feed has a wonderful selection of horse hay, feeds and supplements to keep them at their best, no matter the season.

Article Source: Fall Maintenance for Healthy Winter Horses from Kentucky Equine Research

Posted in Articles, Horse, News & Updates | Comments Off on Fall Maintenance for Healthy Winter Horses

4 Tips for Managing and Feeding Goats in the Fall

Thursday, December 5th, 2024

4 Tips for Managing and Feeding Goats in the Fall: Just like people, fall is a transition period for goats. This is the time to prepare their bodies for winter weather and the breeding season, and make adjustments to their diet as needed with good quality forage.

We would like to provide you with some tips for managing your goat herd as the leaves change and air cools off.

1. Body Condition

When feeding goats in fall, use the time post-weaning of goat kids to adjust the Body Condition of does. You can reduce their diet from alfalfa hay-based diet to grass hay. If good pasture isn’t available, dry grass forage of a horse quality is acceptable and can be fed free choice or twice a day. Goats require long stem fiber (roughage) for proper rumen function. The long fiber lengths of pasture, hay and browse are necessary for rumen function. The rumen is rich in live bacteria that begins to digest the fiber.

2. Preparation for Breeding

Prepare your doe for breeding by increasing nutritional plane to flush additional eggs for breeding. The flushing process increases the likelihood of twin kids rather than single kids. When increasing calories for their diet, care should be taken when selecting and feeding grain. This should start 2-3 weeks prior to introducing the buck or artificial insemination.

3. Health and Maintenance

The fall is a great time prior to breeding to worm and vaccinate the goats – medications and drugs to utilize will depend on local conditions and veterinary recommendations. Be sure to follow local recommendations for worming and vaccination to ensure your animals remain healthy.

4. Focus on Feet

Prior to breeding, check and trim feet. Goat hooves tend to grow more rapidly than sheep and prior to pregnancy is a great time to conduct foot maintenance.

When feeding your goats, each goat requires 2 – 4 pounds of forage per day (3-4% of body weight in pounds). Because goats are ruminant, avoid making drastic changes to their diet. Instead, make a slow transition to allow the bacteria in their rumen time to adjust. Make sure that your goats also have access to clean water.

In conclusion, check out Kissimmee Valley Feeds Goat Feed selection here and visit us for more Tips for Managing and Feeding Goats in the Fall.

Article Source: Standlee Forage

Posted in Articles, News & Updates | Comments Off on 4 Tips for Managing and Feeding Goats in the Fall

Your Keys to Fall Calving

Wednesday, November 20th, 2024

Your Keys to Fall Calving: Cattle condition and comfort are your keys to fall calving.

Spring calving season may be more common, but if you’re a fall calving operation, you know the warmer, dryer weather conditions and the seasonal high calf prices that tend to hit at weaning can yield greater results.

Yet, fall calving doesn’t come without its challenges. Preparation now means mitigating those challenges – including high temperatures and unpredictable forages – and getting calves started quicker to realize optimal cost-efficient growth.

Follow these steps this summer to gain more value from your herd in the fall:

Set cows up for success

It can be difficult to keep cattle in ideal body condition for the fall calving season. Pastures are transitioning from quality grasses with active growth to more mature grasses going dormant, causing energy and protein quality to decline.

With a target body condition score of six at calving, taking scores 60-90 days before calving begins allows time to change the nutrition plan if needed. Purina® RangeLand® protein supplement tubs and Purina® Accuration® Hi-Fat blocks are good options that provide extra protein and energy; they also support digestion and utilization of low-quality forage.

Remember, heifers and first-calf cows haven’t yet reached maturity during gestation. They are still growing while raising a calf, making their energy requirements higher than mature cows. Separate your herd to provide heifers and first-calf cows with a higher energy diet to be at peak performance during calving.

Fight menacing flies

Fly season may start in spring, but a strong fly control program is just as critical during fall calving season.

Flies can be a significant detriment to cattle health and performance. Horn flies carry Staphylococcus aureus, a major cause of mastitis. They can also cause damage to the udder and teats, lowering milk production.

To limit horn flies, start feeding Purina® Wind and Rain® Fly Control mineral in the spring, 30 days before flies emerge, when the daily temps average 65°F and keep feeding until 30 days after the first frost in the fall.

When it isn’t fly season, provide your herd a balanced mineral year-round using Purina® Wind and Rain® mineral. A quality mineral optimizes cows’ milk production and supports fertility and fetal development – all vital in the winter months when your cows are raising calves and getting rebred for the next season.

Combat soaring temperatures

Higher temperatures during fall calving make water supply a top concern. During the hottest days of the year, cattle typically drink two gallons of water per 100 pounds of body weight. Adequate, clean, accessible water is a must. Allowing for two or more inches of linear space per head has been shown to decrease heat stress in cattle.

As calves start drinking water, it’s essential for water sources to be at an appropriate height. In addition, to have enough water flow. Cows typically drink first, with calves following. If the sides of the waterer are too high or the water doesn’t refill quickly, calves may not have access to water that is needed to prevent dehydration and keep their bodies cool.

Shade or shelter is another vital consideration for hot days. Trees, buildings or portable structures are all adequate sources of protection from the sun’s intense heat. Placing water tanks in shaded areas also ensures cool water for the herd.

Ready for reproduction

You can’t be prepared for all surprises that can occur during the fall calving season. Still, making sure your herd is in peak condition, providing access to necessities, and having essential supplies on hand can help ensure calves hit the ground running.

Visit Kissimmee Valley Feed to learn Your Keys to Fall Calving. Check out our cattle feeds here.

Source: Wes Hornback, Cattle Technical Specialist, Purina Mills

Posted in Articles, Cattle, News & Updates | Comments Off on Your Keys to Fall Calving

Hayhut Products Available

Wednesday, November 13th, 2024

Man holding up a Hayhut against a bale of hay Hayhut Products are available at Kissimmee Valley Feed. Horse owners and livestock managers are always on the lookout for solutions that can keep their animals healthy and content. Enter Hayhut, a revolutionary product that is the leading covered round bale hay feeders for horses that deliver efficiency both in every day use and in cost.

Feeding Efficiency

Hayhut is not just another hay feeder on the market. Its standout feature is the covered round bale design, which offers a range of benefits for both the animals and their caretakers. By providing a constant and protected source of forage, Hayhuts reduce waste and enhance feeding efficiency. Unlike traditional feeders, these structures ensure that even during adverse weather conditions, your livestock has access to fresh and dry hay, minimizing the chances of spoilage. This efficient feeding system helps to optimize the feed’s nutritional value, ensuring that your horses receive the best possible care.

The structure of the Hayhut is also worth noting. Made from robust, UV-stabilized polyethylene, these feeders are built to last. They resist rust and require no maintenance, unlike many metal feeders that degrade over time. This durability means that by investing in Hayhut, you’re choosing a long-term solution that won’t need frequent replacements or repairs, saving you both time and money in the long run.

Reliable Forage

Overstocked pastures and poor forage growing conditions can be a nightmare for horse owners. Hayhuts provide a viable solution by offering a consistent and reliable source of forage, regardless of pasture conditions. This reduces the stress on pastures and allows grass to recover and grow more effectively.

By using Hayhut feeders, you can maintain a healthier pasture environment year-round. This is particularly beneficial during the dry season or in regions with challenging soil conditions. The result is a more balanced ecosystem that supports both your horses and the land they graze on.

Happy Horses

It is interesting to note how well these pasture feeders stop ‘big bale bickering’ and also how they bring a strong air of calmness and contentedness across the ranch as the horses all know that they have a constant source of forage.

Anyone who has managed a herd of horses knows the tension that can arise during feeding time. Fighting over bales is not just stressful for the horses, but it can also lead to injuries and uneven feed distribution. Hayhuts address this issue by providing ample access to hay for multiple horses at once.

The design encourages a more peaceful feeding environment, reducing competition and aggression among horses. This not only improves the overall well-being of your animals but also contributes to a calmer and more orderly atmosphere on the farm. For livestock managers, this added peace of mind is invaluable.

Whether you’re looking to improve feeding efficiency, reduce costs, or create a more peaceful environment for your horses, Hayhut offers a compelling solution. Join the ranks of satisfied horse owners and livestock managers who have made the switch and seen the benefits firsthand.

For farmers and ranchers in or around the Kissimmee, FL county, visit us or call the store at (407)-957-4100 to learn more about the haynut products available from our educated staff!

Posted in Articles, Horse, News & Updates | Comments Off on Hayhut Products Available