Photo by Amy Eavou
Cold weather preparations fall into three categories: the cattle, the ranch and you. Use these lists to get those jobs done now and make the winter months more efficient, and less challenging.
PREPARING YOUR CATTLE FOR THE WINTER
Preparing cattle for the winter starts long before the days get shorter. Cattle preparation starts with a solid foundation in health and nutrition. Cattle that are healthy and maintaining a good Body Condition Score are ready for the winter months. Here are some specific tips to help prepare your cattle.
Body Condition Score (BCS) your herd early. Late summer or early fall is the ideal time for scoring. Cattle with a BCS of 5 or 6 will do better in the winter months. Group cattle with a BCS of 4 separately, and work at increasing their BCS to 5 or 6. If body condition scoring is new to you, just focus on separating cows into thin, moderate, and fat groups without worrying about the numerical score. With experience, you will connect the ''look and feel'' of your cows to a body condition score that you can consistently determine. Click here for an article explaining how to BCS in more depth
Add feeders to pastures to supplement fall grazing. Move your feeders periodically to minimize soil damage. If hay is fed on the ground, place it in different locations every day to improve the soil quality with the uneaten hay.
Beware that some forages are toxic to cattle after frost. Sudangrass is one example that must be avoided for a few weeks after the first frost. Know what is in your fields, and do your research to keep your livestock safe.
Do a herd health check. Consult your veterinarian for any fall vaccinations that are required. Winter lice, pneumonia, and hoof rot can be problems in colder weather. Taking the necessary steps now can prevent them from entering your herd.
PREPARING YOUR RANCH FOR THE COLD
The ranch is the other half of the equation in preparing for colder months. Stockmen and women spend long hours on the ranch, and extreme weather can make this work more challenging. By preparing your ranch for cold weather now you can minimize the amount of time you have to spend out in the cold!
Identify windbreaks for your herd or groups of cattle. Make sure sufficient wind protection is available at each location. Fix or add windbreaks and shelters, as necessary, keeping in mind that cattle often prefer wooded areas to shelters for protection.
Identify and prepare winter grazing fields. Cattle can graze through almost a foot of snow, although supplemental feed will also be needed. Check fences in these fields and repair them before the ground freezes!
Test your winter forages. Understanding the nutrient value of forages is imperative, whether you produce your own or purchase forage from another rancher. Work with an animal nutritionist or Cooperative Extension educator to balance the ration for your cattle, and add supplements where needed.
Keep a supply of extra forage in case bad weather strikes and feeding requirements increase.
Create a water plan. Water is an essential nutrient for cattle. What water sources are available in cold months, and are there secondary water sources available? How will freezing temperatures affect access to water by cattle? Each animal will need between seven and twelve gallons per day. Cattle prefer to drink warmer water, and will consume less if it is cold. Consider stock tank heaters or hauling warmer water out to cattle to keep their intake up.
Prepare a winter calving location, if necessary. Winter calving is normal in some geographic areas, and temperatures can be problematic for young calves. Prepare areas for cattle now by adding feeders, checking shelter, and fixing fences. Ensure you are checking on cattle regularly, and have shelter prepared for pairs to keep warm once calves are born.
Prepare a spot in the barn, or a pen dedicated to treatment for cattle that may need medical or nutritional assistance.
Complete fall maintenance on all of your equipment, including chutes, gates, and tractors. Make any necessary repairs now. If you use your chute in the winter, always work the chute, specifically the squeeze, tail gate, and head catch, a few times to warm it up prior to sending cattle in to ensure it is working properly before allowing animals to enter the chute.
Add lighting. Make it easier for you and your employees to get your work done with less daylight hours by adding lighting to key areas, or invest in additional flashlights and headlamps. Replace the batteries on any existing flashlights and headlamps.
PREPARING YOURSELF FOR THE WINTER
Replace worn out leaky boots. Seriously, even the best rubber or neoprene muck boots eventually develop cracks. Don't wait until it's freezing cold - replace them now with the best you can afford. Actually...
Invest in a high quality insulated waterproof suit - jacket and pants or jumpsuit with a built in hood - you pick it. It's not about making a fashion statement, it's about reliability and effectiveness. Lets just agree that when the times comes that you need this suit - you need the best there is. You are not out in the cold for fun, there is a job to be done. Its much harder to do a job when you are wet and cold. Do not scrimp - buy only top quality and you will only buy once.
Plan to create/improve your farm website. Make good use of the short days and long nights ahead. Browse other farm websites for ideas then - go for it. There are many website hosting sites that offer a basic website for free. A few of the most popular ones are Wix, GoDaddy, and Weebly. Nowadays building an effective website is as easy as dragging and dropping elements on the page and seeing your finished site published is very rewarding and paves the way to easier sales of your farm products.
Share what interests you - Oh this is an easy one. You are probably already doing the first part - researching your favorite farm related topics, reading, cruising the internet, etc. The second part is easy too - "share the love" in the Dexters Today eJournal. Just send us an email with a link to it or copy and paste the relevant parts so we can create an article. ejournal@dexterstoday.com Thanks in advance - we appreciate it and so will our readers!
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