Producers Watching For Cold Temperatures To Start the Week

With cold weather to start this week, cattle producers are on their toes because of the challenges Mother Nature creates during calving season.  To combat the cold temperatures and remaining snow, Taylor Grussing, a cow/calf specialist with South Dakota State University Extension, recommends producers decrease wind and provide adequate bedding.

"To decrease that wind, whether it's by manmade windbreaks, with some bales or buildings, some temporary windbreaks...you have to try and keep that wind off of our cattle and our calves. And, also having plenty of bedding available. Anytime we can try and keep their core body temperature warmer, we can try and conserve some of that energy. As we go into calving season, so those cows can have plenty of area to go calve and still be on some bedding, which will hopefully keep that calf a little bit warmer."

Along with the cold comes frozen water tanks.  While that can be a never-ending battle, Grussing said just a little open water helps improve cow feed intake and digestion.

"You know, cows probably won't come up to drink very often on a windy day, but on those kinds of nights maybe when the wind does go down, making sure that water is available for them is key. And if you do have heaters in your water, making sure your propane tanks are full and also making sure there's no electricity shortage or anything like that, that might cause the animals not to go out for that. When we do have some frozen water, try to take care of it as soon as possible because once the ground freezes around those pipes, it's pretty hard to get them unthawed."

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