How Cold is Too Cold?

[TxCoUnTrYbOy]

How cold does it have to be before its too cold for cattle? Keep in mind we have 2 Brahmans and a beefmaster, with a 3 week old calf. We dont have any shelter for them other than the woods. I have no doubt the older cattle will be fine, but what about the calf? He is half beefmaster and half longhorn. Tomorrow night its supposed to hit the mid 20s with some fairly strong winds and some sleet. The wind chill factor is supposed to hit the teens. When is it too cold for them, especially a young calf.

 

[Limomike]

hey Tex, It would be best if you had some type of shelter, but all in all, they should be fine. Mine have a couple of shelters to get in, but some of them just dont get in at all. Cattle are extremely tough creatures, and its why they grow the thick hide for winter survival.

 

[gabby]

Don't worry about it. My cows have never been in a shelter. They just eat more hay when it's cold. I'm about the same latitude as you or maybe a little farther north.

 

[Vicky the vet]

Well, we used to winter the cattle to calving outside in the woods with a good pack of straw. If they can huddle down inside the straw (deep soft pack) they can handle just about anything. We only had the cattle in for calving, then the calves were back out with their calves into a different area a couple of days later. Remember, this is Eastern Canada, only got to about -20 F.

 

[circlet]

i guess i don't know how cold is TOO cold, but with some shelter from the wind and plenty of feed, i guess i've never experienced too cold, and there's been some cold nights over the years.

probably the most knowledgeable nutritionist i've ever met once told me that if you could grow grass, 25-30 degrees F would be the perfect temp for cattle to gain weight. so, i've always worried about the 90 degree days much more than 20 degree days.

 

[dun]

This link deals with both heat and cold stress

http://agweather.mesonet.org/models/cat ... ption.html

dun

 

[Bobg]

Cows can handle quite a bit of cold if their used to it. We always calved in March/April in Montana and it would hit -20* quite a bit at night.

If they have someplace to get in out of the wind such as brush, shelter belt or building they'll be alright.

Bobg

 

[Proverbs 12:10]

I got longhorns and straight brahmans. The last couple of nights it's been in the 20s and the brahmans will usually be in the barn for the night while the longhorns are out at the haystack. Of course, when it's 103 you get just the opposite. The brahmans seem to be doing fine below freezing as long as they have a windbreak or shelter.

 

[farmerjohn]

Just feed them more and they will be fine.

 

[Susie David]

We add cracked corn to the diet when the temps drop below ten degrees, about two pounds per head, IMO it adds calories that would be used just keeping warm.
DMc

 

[Muratic]

I think you asked this last year. :roll: :roll: :roll:

http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic. ... light=cold

 

[P.A.L]

Hi,

Last January temperature dropped to -40 Celsius(I think its same in Fs) for 3 weeks. Our Herefords Have shelter were they can go warmer. Some of the cows(fat) didnt go to shelter at all. They went to forest or slept on straws. But when it winds and rains, animalshelter is "packed with herefords"..... the weather is quite nice when temperature drops to -40. It doesnt feel so cold that you would expect.... but it takes about 10 seconds for water to freeze. That´s the biggest problem.

 

[Hasbeen]

OK, now you've got me a little concerned. Last winter I read all the posts from the northern people about calving in the snow and even having to use duct tape to keep their ears from freezing to the ground and decided I could put off building a barn for a year or so. Now I'm reading about allowing them to calve in a shelter. All my heifers are due to calve in the next 6-8 weeks. Late Jan to early Feb temp range here could be anywhere from 0 to 50 above. May be sunny, cold rain, or snow. My herd consists of Angus crosses. Am I OK or should I throw up some sort of shelter? I've got a few old panels of privacy fence at home that I could put up for a windbreak, but something with a roof is going to take a lot more effort and expense. I've noticed that when it's cold and windy now that they will sometimes lay on the downwind side of the hay rings on top of the spilled hay. Would that be enough?

 

[dun]

If it's just cold and not snowing/sleeting/raingin/freezing rain, all they really need is a good wondbreak, maybe some trees to get under. If it's realy cold and any wet or precip type situation they'll do better if they have something to get under as well as break the wind

dun

 

[Bructer]

I threw up a quick shelter when the temps dropped to -36 here. We had a windstorm three weeks ago (knocked out power for 4 days) and it survived. Cost me $41.00 for the 4"x4" and a couple sheets of OSB plywood. The straw was water damage and from last years pile.

Cheers,

 

[TheBullLady]

Here in Texas, a LOT of cows would be eating that shelter!

 

[Bructer]

Here in Texas, a LOT of cows would be eating that shelter!

Your cows eat straw? :shock:

Cheers,

 

[msscamp]

Here in Texas, a LOT of cows would be eating that shelter!

Your cows eat straw? :shock:

Cheers,

It sounds like you haven't hit any rough patches in this business yet. You would be surprised what cows will eat, and do well on, when times get rough. ;-)

 

[Bructer]

Here in Texas, a LOT of cows would be eating that shelter!

Your cows eat straw? :shock:

Cheers,

It sounds like you haven't hit any rough patches in this business yet. You would be surprised what cows will eat, and do well on, when times get rough. ;-)

Wow, I didnt know that cattle would eat straw. I know my neigbors Highland cattle will eat certain vegetation that my cows just walk right on by.

Cheers,

 

[dun]

It may not be too cold for the cows, but it's 11 pm and 7 degrees now. That's too cold for me!

dun