How to Prevent Cold Stress in Cattle
Proper Cattle Management Can Prevent Winter Stress and Loss
REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- Winter weather has currently spread to places where it's not always seen. Proper care of cattle during frigid conditions and winter precipitation is important to prevent cold stress.
Caring for cattle during winter can be challenging, but being aware of what to look for in cattle behaviors can ensure the proper health of the herd through the cold and freezing precipitation. Some signs of cold stress include higher breathing rates, shivering to generate body heat, and cattle in tight huddles.
Iowa State University Extension Beef Veterinarian Grant Dewell said that, in general, cows are cold tolerant and comfortable down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, but most cows can benefit from extra care when the temperature drops below zero.
PROTECTION FROM THE EXTREMES
No matter what type of cattle operation -- dairy, cow-calf, stocker or feedlot -- it is important to know what to expect from prolonged extreme cold and how to mitigate cold stress in the herd. All cattle experience the same effects from cold weather.
University of Missouri livestock specialist Elizabeth Picking said it is important to provide windbreaks, as wind chill can increase cold stress. Lean-tos, barns, trees, stacked bales, hollows or bottoms, or even brushy fencerows can serve as a windbreak during winter weather. Providing cover from rain so they stay dry can also help the cattle's ability to stay warm.
"Feeding hay or feed in areas where wind is blocked also helps to get your herd to spend time in those areas," she said.
Including bedding for cattle can also help cattle stay warm during cold snaps.
"This is especially important if the ground is wet and muddy and your herd has small calves that do more lying down than adults and can lose body heat more easily due to their larger surface area to body mass ratio," according to Picking. "Bedding also reduces the risk of frostbite."
Dewell said a cow with a wet hair coat as compared to a dry hair coat can lose body temperature to function properly. "Cattle must maintain a core body temperature of about 101 degrees F in order for their body systems to function normally," he said. "Beef cattle are adapted to cool climates remarkably well. Adapted mature cattle with a heavy winter hair coat have a thermoneutral zone that extends down to about 20 degrees F."
He agrees that adequate, dry bedding helps reduce the impact of cold weather by providing a layer of insulation between the cold ground and the animal's body.
PROPER NUTRITION HELPS IN WINTER
Cold stress can increase maintenance energy requirements and thus means it is important for cattle to have proper nutrition, especially during the winter months. In most areas of the country, the low temperatures below freezing cause grasses to go into dormancy, and other provided feed is needed.
"Underconditioned cows or cows with wet hair coats require more energy supplementation than a cow with adequate condition and a dry hair coat," Dewell said.
Thinner cows, with less fat cover require more nutrients to combat cold stress.
"During periods of continual cold weather, cows will need approximately an extra pound of corn for every 10 degrees of cold stress below 20 degrees F," Dewell added.
WATER INTAKE IS IMPORTANT
Picking said it is important to provide adequate access to unfrozen water. Chopping ice or ensuring a tank has a proper heater to keep water thawed is important.
"When it's cold, cattle should be consuming 1 gallon of water per 100 pounds of bodyweight per day. Dehydrated animals can have a harder time regulating their temperatures," she added.
Access to electrolyte, mineral or salt mixes can encourage cattle to drink more water.
Dewell said cows will eat snow to assist in meeting their water requirements, but relying on snow as the sole water source is insufficient.
"Producers should strive to provide consistent access to a fresh water source and consider the water source location close to feeding areas and windbreaks to encourage water intake without compromising water quality," he said.
CALVING TIME DURING COLD MONTHS
Many cattle producers in the colder areas of the country begin their spring calving season when the weather hasn't warmed up yet.
Frostbite is a concern in the frigid weather for all cattle, but newborn calves are the most susceptible, especially on their ears, tails and feet, according to Picking.
Mature cows can tolerate the cold weather, but wet newborn calves cannot. Planning ahead and providing proper shelter during calving time can be critical.
"Facilities for early calving herds should be draft-free, dry with clean bedding such as straw or corn stalks and should have bonding pens for the cow and newborn for a day or two depending on the weather," Dewell said.
Traditional spring calving in most parts of the country typically starts after the worst winter weather, but producers should always be aware of weather forecasts.
Calves need to have their first colostrum within a couple hours of being born, and if a calf's core body temperature is too low, it is likely to become lethargic and not get what it needs for immunity down the road.
Being prepared for cold weather and winter precipitation is the best way to get through those times, according to the Extension staff. Preventing cold stress in all cattle is best, and cattle with snow on their backs means their hair coats are properly keeping the heat in.
See past DTN coverage on protecting livestock in cold weather at https://www.dtnpf.com/…, how to build different windbreaks at https://www.dtnpf.com/…, and managing bulls in cold weather at https://www.dtnpf.com/… and https://www.dtnpf.com/…. For tips on stretching hay to feed cattle during winter and still meet their higher requirements, check out https://www.dtnpf.com/….
Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com
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