Stretching Hay Supplies: Feeding Co-Products to Beef Cows This Winter

Oct 23, 2025

By Dr. Haley Linder

A cold, wet spring followed by a dry summer has reduced hay yields across Ohio. Heading into winter, many producers now face the challenge of stretching limited hay supplies to maintain cow condition. Fortunately, Ohio beef producers have several options for supplementing or partially replacing hay with feed co-products.

What Are Co-Products?
Co-products are feed ingredients that remain after grains, oilseeds, or other crops are processed for another primary product such as ethanol, corn syrup, soybean oil, or flour.

These feeds are excellent options for beef cattle because they provide highly digestible energy and protein at a cost-effective price. Most co-products are rich in digestible fiber rather than starch, which makes them especially well-suited for cows consuming forage-based diets as they don’t negatively affect forage digestibility.

Source : osu.edu

Video: CEOs of the Industry, A Conversation with Daniel Rivest, President & CEO, Olymel

Swine Web’s CEOs of the Industry series welcomes Daniel Rivest, President & CEO of Olymel, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, the future of Canadian pork, and the opportunities ahead for one of North America’s largest pork and poultry processors.

Rivest discusses his journey to the CEO role, his leadership philosophy, and his early priorities at Olymel. The conversation explores the company’s strategic direction, its relationships with producers, and how Olymel is positioning itself for long-term growth and competitiveness.

The discussion also tackles some of the biggest issues facing Canadian pork production today, including labor availability, global competition, animal health, trade and export markets, automation, and the growing potential of artificial intelligence throughout the food production system.

Topics include:

• Daniel Rivest’s path to becoming President & CEO of Olymel

• Olymel’s current position and strategic direction

• The outlook for Canadian pork production

• Building stronger relationships with producers

• Global trade and key export markets

• Automation, innovation and artificial intelligence

• Leadership lessons and opportunities for the next generation

The conversation concludes with a Fast Five, giving viewers a more personal look at Rivest’s leadership approach and his vision for Olymel’s future.