Tim,

I think this thread is an example of what a great place this website can be. It seems that there is a remarkable amount of truth and information in your discussion of the cow being the ultimate judge of feed/hay and the cow pie being the scorecard!

Being new to cattle with just a small group of beef cows and heifers I can see when I have let them have a bit too much corn or they rotate into a fresh new pasture by the nature of the cow pie! Your descriptions are right on, especially the "puddle but not splatter".

Sometimes in many areas maybe we need to look up from the computer spread sheet, rfv, protein tests etc and look at the animal we trying to feed and the effects/response no matter what the theory says. As your learned friend points out the proof may be in the cowpie! I am not joking - there is a lot of truth in that. Thank you for your information and those in the rest of this thread. As basically a row crop, soil and steel guy I've learned a lot here.

Jim at Dawn