OT: Livestock/animals in this weather
- Thread starter dahliaclone
- Start date
I managed to get some capillary damage tending to my animals this morning, but no frost bite, I can feel my face! It is a lot nicer out there now than it was at 8 when the wind was still blowing.
I get as many of my stock cows under a roof as possible, extra feed to keep them warm from the inside, and it is critical to keep water available to them at all times.
Since 99+ percent of hogs are under a heated roof nowadays, there's a lot less stress about keeping them warm, at least until the LP or natural gas bill arrives.
I've been wondering about my dog though. He's a German Shorthaired Pointer, and he usually will tag along every day all day, but I'm worried about his big floppy ears freezing if he's out there too long today.
I get as many of my stock cows under a roof as possible, extra feed to keep them warm from the inside, and it is critical to keep water available to them at all times.
Since 99+ percent of hogs are under a heated roof nowadays, there's a lot less stress about keeping them warm, at least until the LP or natural gas bill arrives.
I've been wondering about my dog though. He's a German Shorthaired Pointer, and he usually will tag along every day all day, but I'm worried about his big floppy ears freezing if he's out there too long today.
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Deer will find a place downwind (usually on a sidehill facing away from the wind) and also with trees - preferably evergreens - so they can protect themselves. Large pines whose branches grow close to the ground are ideal.....and believe it or not, pheasants will often remain under the snow until it is over. They keep a small area clear to breathe, and just use the snow as insulation. I remember the first time I was out hunting after a heavy snow, and a rooster busted out from underneath it. I almost **** my pants. (And yeah, missed the bird, too.) 
As others mentioned, most cattle and hogs are fine if you keep them fed and watered. If you don't have sufficient indoor space, cattle will huddle together for heat (and you always know which way the wind is coming from based on where they are facing) and are pretty damned resilient. I don't ever recall losing an animal due to cold alone.
For farrowing, we would always still let out the sows to feed them. If you tried to feed them in the pens and the little ones got too close, it would end poorly. A hungry sow would eat whatever was close.
Keeping the cattle water thawed out was always a *****, though. I remember carrying 5 gallon buckets of boiling water from our house across the frozen gravel (which is like walking on damn ball bearings) out to the water troughs in weather like this. I busted my ass more than once.
I talked to my dad last night (retired back in the mid 90's and moved to town) and he said days like these are good reminders why retiring was a good move.
For farrowing, we would always still let out the sows to feed them. If you tried to feed them in the pens and the little ones got too close, it would end poorly. A hungry sow would eat whatever was close.
Keeping the cattle water thawed out was always a *****, though. I remember carrying 5 gallon buckets of boiling water from our house across the frozen gravel (which is like walking on damn ball bearings) out to the water troughs in weather like this. I busted my ass more than once.
I talked to my dad last night (retired back in the mid 90's and moved to town) and he said days like these are good reminders why retiring was a good move.
We're calving right now but have a partially heated barn. New babies are kept inside for a few days if its below freezing when they're born and then kicked out into an enclosed but not heated shed. Keep the bedding dry and deep and make sure they have a place out of the wind. Cattle naturally run warm so if they're provided adequate nutrition during these cold snaps, they will be just fine.
