COLD!!

[okiek]

I'm with Murray, lots of hay and hope for the best. My tank heaters were working ok yesterday but it's -5 now so I haven't seen them yet this AM. I don't know when we'll ever see 70 but at this point bring on the 40's!!!!

 

[callmefence]

As another central Texas single-digit novice-we've broken ice throughout the day, added warm water and cattle seemed to drink their fill. Threw extra hay and feed out near their shelter, now the bad 20 mph wind with below zero temps are hitting. Snow to be added overnight. For now, the cattle are spending their time under a shelter.
Do I leave them alone to ride out the worst part under shelter overnight or throw out more hay (which I would assume would mean higher water need also)? Snow should end tomorrow morning, and I plan to keep hay and water in front as much as possible for the next few days-it'll be 70 next Tuesday

I don't know wth I'm doing either.
Day before yesterday before the ground froze the cows had been fed pretty good before. I decided to skip until the ground froze instead of pulling the out of the brush in the mud and rain. Yesterday we hooked up the dump trailer and dumped several bales of old milo stalks in the woods. The cows eat it pretty good and it makes good bedding. Came back in and loaded up our best hay and dumped a couple days worth to each group. I put the good hay out in the open hoping they wouldn't bed in it...idk if that's right or not just what I did.

 

[4hfarms]

Have been setting out extra hay. Im sure they enjoy the extra ground insulation. Lucky enough that the spring is still running in the back of the property. Seems the creek is deep enough below the wind also. Have to bring water to the 3 chicken houses until it warms up. Wouldn't be so easy for the cows. Pray to keep the water flowing...

 

[Hpacres440p]

This is not what we're used to dealing with. Small property, so our usual water supply (hoses) are frozen, the faucet that we usually use to fill buckets is frozen, so aiming the shower head to fill 5 gallons at a time. Fun! And we're on rolling blackouts from the power company to conserve energy. One more night of this. Freezing rain again Wednesday. Then done (hopefully)

 

[MurraysMutts]

Idk who's cows...
They all snuggly tho.

Mine are all at the hay. Bellering fer cookies tho.


Water is a problem. Been thawing well house with a heat gun daily. Now the supply line to the house is frozen. Guess I'm gonna see if I can get a milkhouse heater under there AMD hold us over til Friday. Sheesh!

 

[C-Ranch]

It's says it 30 degrees here right now with more snow coming and 25-40 miles wind gusts. I'm won't complain, you guys are having it rough right now with those cold temps. Stay warm and I hope you guys can keep the water flowing and tractors running.

 

[Hpacres440p]

For those who have cattle surviving off of eating snow primarily, how do they ever get enough water? We had a "dry" snow in Central Tx, water is shut off so I figured I'd melt a couple buckets of snow. 2 5 gal buckets only made about 2 gallons of water. And with a cold mouth? How do they get by, seriously?

 

[Hardnosecattleco]

We get that weather up here in western new York as well. If you like struggling all day and frozen water lines it's not that bad I suppose! I feel bad for everyone down south struggling and dealing with the cold .

 

[greybeard]

This is not what we're used to dealing with. Small property, so our usual water supply (hoses) are frozen, the faucet that we usually use to fill buckets is frozen, so aiming the shower head to fill 5 gallons at a time. Fun! And we're on rolling blackouts from the power company to conserve energy. One more night of this. Freezing rain again Wednesday. Then done (hopefully)

Who is your power company?

We have had power all day but Entergy, just sent me this:

"Entergy: We request limited electricity usage due to present extreme cold weather immediately, including turning off electric water heaters and lowering heating thermostats settings. Insufficient reductions may require temporary interruptions of electric service. We apologize for this inconvenience and are working to restore our system to normal grid operations as soon as possible."

 

[Hpacres440p]

We're with Heart of Texas Cooperative-we've done decently with rolling blackouts-on more than pdf today. Biggest issue is our water supply is dealing with the same electric issues and line breaks and increased supply from everyone dripping their faucets and and and...So we had filled troughs before this all started, luckily still have 2 mostly full. And a lot of snow still

 

[Hpacres440p]

Who is your power company?

We have had power all day but Entergy, just sent me this:

"Entergy: We request limited electricity usage due to present extreme cold weather immediately, including turning off electric water heaters and lowering heating thermostats settings. Insufficient reductions may require temporary interruptions of electric service. We apologize for this inconvenience and are working to restore our system to normal grid operations as soon as possible."

Oops-see above

 

[Silver]

For those who have cattle surviving off of eating snow primarily, how do they ever get enough water? We had a "dry" snow in Central Tx, water is shut off so I figured I'd melt a couple buckets of snow. 2 5 gal buckets only made about 2 gallons of water. And with a cold mouth? How do they get by, seriously?

If your snow is making 20 percent water you're doing pretty good. We used to think that cows did better on snow than water in really cold temps because they tend to graze the snow throughout the day. If you ever watch a cow take a belly full of water when it's 50 below they will stand there and shiver for quite awhile and look rather pathetic really.

 

[MurraysMutts]

If your snow is making 20 percent water you're doing pretty good. We used to think that cows did better on snow than water in really cold temps because they tend to graze the snow throughout the day. If you ever watch a cow take a belly full of water when it's 50 below they will stand there and shiver for quite awhile and look rather pathetic really.

Not 50 below here but...
The 2 lil calves got their 5 gallon bucket and drank up. When they were done, they both did the dog-shiver-shake thing.
Thought it was odd.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Not 50 below here but...
The 2 lil calves got their 5 gallon bucket and drank up. When they were done, they both did the dog-shiver-shake thing.
Thought it was odd.

Because the water was cold?

 

[MurraysMutts]

Because the water was cold?

Idk. Came straight from the hydrant.
Had to be warmer than outside air! Lolz

 

[Caustic Burno]

We're with Heart of Texas Cooperative-we've done decently with rolling blackouts-on more than pdf today. Biggest issue is our water supply is dealing with the same electric issues and line breaks and increased supply from everyone dripping their faucets and and and...So we had filled troughs before this all started, luckily still have 2 mostly full. And a lot of snow still

Your water co-op doesn't have generator backup?
Our system has two wells both with big diesel generator backup. Last count we had a 154 members.
Every rural water system over in this area has generator backup.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Your water co-op doesn't have generator backup?
Our system has two wells both with big diesel generator backup. Last count we had a 154 members.
Every rural water system over in this area has generator backup.

Generator maybe, but their pipes and pumps didn't survive the freeze. Gatesville (with several prisons) was without water and its trickle down from there. It's not a co-op, as much. We have two towns that can't get parts in to repair what's broken, due to icy roads. It's no just an electricity issue.

 

[okiek]

I got down to my south place this weekend. Found the hand had broke or cut the ice in a couple of places for stock to drink. However, the cattle had been walking all over the pond as evidenced by the manure smack in the middle of the pond. That scares me to death for what happens this week when it starts to thaw good. I sure hope they're smart enough no to venture out there as it thins!! There are certainly people in the state every year that aren't!

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Okiek> They're Not....

 

[Silver]

I switched my truck to foreign height for you southerners