The couple of cold fronts that have come through the last couple of weeks has signaled that winter is on its way. With winter it brings it’s own set of challenges for a cattle producer. Intense cold weather can leave cattle struggling as well as stressed, which can affect their health, as they go about their normal activities. Here are some ways you can help to reduce that stress:
Always have water available
Cattle can struggle to get enough water during winter months. Your water sources can freeze or be hard to get to because of ice and mud. Veterinarians say that cattle need between 1 to 2 gallons per day per 100 lbs. of body weight in order to be effective. With that you can see how big a role water plays. To ensure a steady supply you can install tank heaters in their water sources to prevent icing up. Be sure to follow the instructions to prevent fires or them getting shocked.
Keep cattle well fed
Cattle use the rumen activity in their stomach to maintain their body temperature. So it is a good idea to keep them well fed to keep them warm. In order to do this you will want to provide them with enough energy to keep the rumen activity running like it should. Without this their body temperature could go down and possibly “freeze to death”.
When it comes to feeding cattle there are some options: (1) you can provide a supplement that will provide enough nutrients. The thing to look out for with this is that although it may be the easiest it can get expensive. (2) You can provide hay. If you go with this one you will want to put them in a hay feeder in order to reduce waste.
If you would like to know more about the importance of roughages you can read our other post by clicking here
Provide proper shelter
Cattle do not like being out in the cold anymore than you do. Providing proper shelter for cattle is important to their well being. It can also reduce your feed costs because cold cattle need more feed in order to stay warm. Three-sided sheds placed throughout your pastures can give them somewhere to go to get out of the weather. Hills, gullies, thickets of trees and other windbreaks can also be used to help them out.
Avoid Mud
Mud during winter can affect cattle in two ways. First, it is a perfect breeding ground for hoof rot and other foot ailments. Second, it can make it harder for cattle to keep warm. You can use rotational grazing to prevent them from staying in one place for too long and turning it into a mud pile.
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