Incredible What Do Cows Eat During Winter References. Second, cows in good body condition likely have a good diet, which can result in nice, warm winter hair coats. Hay is forage (grass and alfalfa) that has been cut, dried, and made into bales.
The simple answer is hay. Hay is essentially the peak season pasture that is preserved and stored by machines cutting, curing, and baling the forage. A beef cow will eat at least 2% to 2.5% of its body weight per day.