Local Interest
Limit Feeding Cows Corn as an Alternative to Hay
Feed costs make up the largest expense in a cow-calf operation. While hay is often used to feed cows through the winter, current prices make corn a competitive option to feeding hay. Considering corn has a higher energy content than hay, the cost of feeding hay is often higher than corn on a price per pound of energy basis. For example, corn priced at $3.30/bushel ($118/ton) equates to approximately $0.08 per pound of total digestible nutrients (TDN) while hay priced at $100/ton is nearly $0.11 per pound of TDN says Nebraska Extension Livestock Systems Educator
Erin Laborie based in Beaver City, NE. Erin is a member of the University of Nebraska Beef Team.
The 2022 Nebraska Custom Rates Report is now available on the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website, at https://cap.unl.edu/customrates. The biennial publication reports on survey data gathered on custom operations and services in Nebraska, providing updated market rates and information for custom work providers and their potential customers.
Two articles about the new report have just been published:
https://cap.unl.edu/management/agricultural-custom-work-%E2%80%93-what-charge