Cows in a cold northern winter (pics)

[SRBeef]

There was a question posed elsewhere by a southern US poster asking about how folks up north manage to avoid losing cattle in below zero cold, winds and snow. I put out a couple bales of hay for mine in Wisconsin the other day and opened up another area of standing corn stalks for them.

I am turning into a real believer in outwintering without a building. They seem to stay healthy outdoors. As a couple folks have posted: keep them fed with good mineral, give them a place to get out of the wind, and keep good. clean, unfrozen water available at all times and they should be ok in about any weather.

One of the keys is to give them a spot out of the wind - mine love to go into the dense pine and hardwoods. I usually use cradle type bale feeders but do use a couple standard rings spaced out along the edge of the woods to spread them and the manure out.

I also opened up a new section of unharvested standing corn to them the other day. They seemed to have developed the ability to regulate their corn intake and balance it with hay. They go back and forth between the woods, corn field, hay stations and waterer several times a day.

Here are a couple pictures from earlier this week. They were munching hay but came up the hill to the new corn field thru the snow when I called them.

Here are a few pictures from SW Wisconsin. Merry Christmas to everyone, especially you folks serving overseas.

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[angus9259]

There was a question posed elsewhere by a southern US poster asking about how folks up north manage to avoid losing cattle in below zero cold, winds and snow. I put out a couple bales of hay for mine in Wisconsin the other day and opened up another area of standing corn stalks for them.

I am turning into a real believer in outwintering without a building. They seem to stay healthy outdoors. As a couple folks have posted: keep them fed with good mineral, give them a place to get out of the wind, and keep good. clean, unfrozen water available at all times and they should be ok in about any weather.

One of the keys is to give them a spot out of the wind - mine love to go into the dense pine and hardwoods. I usually use cradle type bale feeders but do use a couple standard rings spaced out along the edge of the woods to spread them and the manure out.

I also opened up a new section of unharvested standing corn to them the other day. They seemed to have developed the ability to regulate their corn intake and balance it with hay. They go back and forth between the woods, corn field, hay stations and waterer several times a day.

Here are a couple pictures from earlier this week. They were munching hay but came up the hill to the new corn field thru the snow when I called them.

Here are a few pictures from SW Wisconsin. Merry Christmas to everyone, especially you folks serving overseas.

That's what mine do . . . stay outside like that. By the looks of em, it hasn't hurt them a bit. We got similar snow to you . . . we got 3 feet in december when "normal" is 13 inches. It's a lot healthier than the mud though.

 

[Jogeephus]

Nice looking cattle. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Bez+]

Millions of cattle stay out all winter.

They do real well.

Your animals look like they are in cow heaven.

They are in fine shape and at this rate I can se that they will make it through to spring with no problem.

You are doing a good job - good pics as an example of how to do it.

Bez+

 

[grannysoo]

Looks too cold for my blood. The cattle look great!

 

[mnmtranching]

Your cattle look good, They could handle -40 and colder with no problem the way their cared for.

 

[grubbie]

Those are some beautiful herefords. Ours are out all winter as well, usually on nothing but grass and lick tubs as the snow hasn't been getting too deep here for quite a few years. Fat and happy, but when it gets real cold, below zero or a blizzard on the way, we throw out some extra feed just cause we have so much hay and it gives em a little more heat. Nice pics.

 

[LoveMoo11]

Nice looking Herefords. Ours do well outside too (I live in Maine). Sometimes I'll go out in the morning and they will be laying there covered in snow from the night before

 

[arkcowman]

Good healthy looking Herefords ! My vet came out the other day and mentioned that my Angus
were looking a bit fat. I told him 'thats nothing you ought to see my wife'. Didnt realize my wife
had just walked up behind us. Going to a bed and breakfast next weekend.... gonna cost me a lot
of money !