Winter is Creeping In

[Oldtimer]

Haven't checked cows for a week or so- and while I knew they had some snow to survive on- went to the north pastures (about 30 miles south of the border) to check their water situation...

While some of the snow has melted- and the major water holes frozen over-- the creek/spring is running good..

Definitely enough snow they could still survive on snow if the water table wasn't up-- but sure nice to see it is and they can get water from the springs...

Snowing last night-few snowshowers today- but ground is still pretty bare.. Most has been going south and west of us...State report says Red Lodge has a foot of snow on the ground....Doesn't look like we will pick up much this next week--but they are saying the first arctic front by the weekend- and below 0 temps...

Hopefully our snow will hold off and I can run on these pastures til Dec.--before moving the cows to the river bottom hayfields...

 

[TexasBred]

Must have some contented cattle...those fences look like shoe strings in a ghetto tennis shoe.

 

[Isomade]

Good pics OT. I wanted to get back up there this year but didn't make it.

 

[bigbull338]

nice pics they make me cold brrrrrrrrrrrrr.

 

[Lammie]

Winter is creeping in there, but here it's a balmy eighty degrees with high humidity. I'd take a blast of artic right now. Thanksgiving should not be spent in shorts.

Those are some lovely pictures. Splendid isolation.

 

[ohiosteve]

Great pictures oldtimer. I've read about letting cattle meet their water needs by eating snow and where I'm at in Northern Ohio we Have snow on the ground pretty much all winter. I have even read it is better for the cattle to get hydration through the snow than to drink a large amount of near freezing water from a waterer which lowers their core temperature.I want to experiment this winter. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Galloways1]

I love the pics Old Timer. My wife keeps wanting to move back out to MT. Both of us are from ND, but have spent parts of our lives in Big Sky Country. We have missed out on the snow so far. Temps this morning was 6 above, with a -15 windchill.

Ohio steve- Our Galloway cows graze in pasture, or on cornstalks until the snow is around 2 ft deep, or gets crusted hard by a warm snap ( hardly ever). Even though they have access to a waterer, they never come up for water, just eat snow.

 

[ohiosteve]

Thanks galloway, I have also noticed less traffic at the waterers while there is snow. I'll probably still leave them access to one though. I would have to think they enjoy a few big gulps occasionally

 

[Gale Seddon]

If my poor spoiled little Dexters had to eat snow for water, they would be standing in a snow bank with their tongues hanging out...well, maybe not, I guess they might figure it out. I hope they don't have to find out this winter, but end of January's calling for a blizzard here (Old Farmer's Almanac).

OT, your pictures are great. No wonder it's called "big sky" country. Beautiful, but lonely looking in the winter.

 

[Dave]

My daughter in south central Montana said that on Monday that it was snowing and it felt like the wind was going to blow right through the door. She said it was their second heavy snow this fall.

Here on the coast it has been raining pretty hard and the snow level is only at 1,000-2,000 feet. Winter isn't creeping. It has arrived.

 

[Oldtimer]

Great pictures oldtimer. I've read about letting cattle meet their water needs by eating snow and where I'm at in Northern Ohio we Have snow on the ground pretty much all winter. I have even read it is better for the cattle to get hydration through the snow than to drink a large amount of near freezing water from a waterer which lowers their core temperature.I want to experiment this winter. What are your thoughts on this?

Altho I do know a lot of Canadians that winter their cattle on snow only-- once I move the cows to the river bottom (probably around Dec. 3rd this year) I do give them access to water in the tanks... Some years we don't have enough snow stay on the ground... Just with them now 30 miles away its kind of a pain to drive that far and pump water for them- and with my current set ups the floats just freeze up...(Supposed to be 5-10 Below tonight with a nasty wind blowing already) So seeing the snow available- and the springs still running was kind of refreshing...

You may be right about the core temperature issue- I know some of the neighbors that have warm artesian wells- those cows sure like that warm water in the winter...

I often feed a lot of straw - I think access to water helps keep them from getting compaction...