This is the procedure for daily feeding, also refer to Feeding Standards and Responsibilies
Two hours before normal feeding time
- Push up feed for all groups and evaluate refusals
- Push feed back from the edge of the 2009 barn bunk
- Fill out the feeding chart
- Get dry hay for pens that need it
If any groups are out of feed, they should be fed immediately in this order of priority:
- Milking cows
- Dry Cows / Prefresh
- Heifers
Use extra time before regular feeding to do the following:
- Mix the first batch of cow feed – don’t deliver until normal feeding time, unless they are out early.
- Mix dry cow feed batch – don’t deliver until normal feeding time unless they are out early.
- Care for fresh cows
- Uncover piles for tomorrow (piles should have been uncovered yesterday for today)
- Equipment maintenance
- Feeding tractors
- Feed mixers
- Skid loaders
- Clean up plastic, tires, junk feed
- Clean up bags, etc. in calf and feeding areas
- Other tasks
- Bedding
- Scraping sand out from behind freestalls
- Help with calves, etc.
At normal feeding time
- Feed remaining groups (groups that were not out of feed early)
- If any groups have not cleaned up their feed by the normal feeding time, either remove the refusals before delivering, or wait until they have cleaned up before delivering
After normal feeding is complete, make sure the following is done:
- Piles are uncovered and bags are cut back as needed for the next day’s feeding
- All bags and piles are clean and neat
- All loose plastic is on the burn pile – consider burning if the conditions are right
- All loose tires are stacked neatly in a long-term storage spot
- All junk feed is on the junk feed pile
- Equipment maintenance completed
During the Day
- Occasionally observe the feed bunks to learn as much as possible about how they are eating
- Move feed between groups as needed when pen moves are done (ex: Dry Cows moved to Prefresh)
