01/05/2026
🌾Wintering Cattle the Right Way: Why Quality Forages Matter🌾
Winter is often viewed as a holding period in cattle production — a time to simply “get by” until grass starts growing again. But seasoned cattlemen know better. How cattle are wintered directly impacts herd health, reproductive success, and overall profitability, and the foundation of any successful winter program is quality forage.
As pastures go dormant and forage availability declines, cattle rely heavily on stored feeds to meet their nutritional needs. This is where many operations make or break their year.
🟢 Forage Is the Backbone of Winter Nutrition
Cattle are designed to convert forage into performance. During winter months, when nutrient demands remain steady but environmental stress increases, clean, nutrient-dense hay becomes essential. Quality forage supports rumen function, maintains body condition, and provides the energy needed to withstand cold, wet weather.
Low-quality hay forces cattle to eat more while gaining less, often resulting in weight loss, weakened immune systems, and delayed breed-back. On the other hand, good hay keeps cows doing what they’re supposed to do — stay productive.
🟢 Body Condition Equals Reproductive Success
One of the biggest mistakes in wintering cattle is allowing body condition to slip too far. Cows that lose excessive condition during winter are slower to cycle, harder to breed back, and less capable of raising strong, healthy calves.
Maintaining condition through winter with proper forage means:
Higher conception rates
Healthier calves at birth
Less need for expensive supplementation
A smoother transition into spring grazing
Simply put, winter nutrition sets the tone for the entire production year‼️
🟢 Managing Winter Stress
Cold temperatures, wet conditions, and mud increase energy requirements for cattle. When quality forage is readily available, cattle can meet those needs naturally. Feeding clean hay, managing waste, and providing adequate access helps reduce stress and keeps cattle comfortable during tough weather.
It’s not about feeding more — it’s about feeding better.
🟢 Investing in the Right Hay Pays Off
Quality forages aren’t an expense; they’re an investment. Good hay reduces vet bills, supports fertility, improves calf performance, and saves time and money down the road. Winter is not the season to gamble on feed quality — it’s the season to protect the investment you already have standing in your pasture.
Strong cattle don’t happen by accident. They’re built day by day, bale by bale, and winter is no exception.
✅ Good cattle start with good groceries — even in winter.
