COLUMNS
Beef
Prepare Your Operation for Winter

by J. Benton Glaze Jr.

Winter is rapidly approaching and with it comes a number of challenges that beef producers and their cattle must face. Cold temperatures, frozen precipitation and wind are just a few of the climatic conditions that serve as stressors to animals. To help alleviate some of the stress that winter places on animals, many New England beef producers place their animals in central facilities (barns, lots, paddocks, pastures, etc.) that are guarded from the weather. These central facilities make it a little easier for producers to feed, water and care for their animals throughout the winter, and do a decent job of protecting cattle from various winter stress factors.

To ensure that cattle are performing at optimum levels, plenty of clean, fresh water must be available. Water is one of the most important nutrients needed by beef cattle. Water makes up about two-thirds of an animal’s body mass and is used in almost all chemical reactions in the body. Water is also used to eliminate used and excess nutrients in the body. During the hot, humid summer months, producers are keenly aware of the animal’s water requirements, but as the temperatures cool down and winter sets in, providing cattle with adequate amounts of water may sometimes be overlooked.

The amount of water needed by the beef animal is affected by a number of factors including: age and size of the animal, stage of production, ration/diet composition, amount of physical activity and environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.). Table 1 provides an estimate of the daily water intake levels for different classes of beef cattle. A good general rule of thumb is to make sure cattle have access to 1.5 to 2 gallons of water per 100 pounds of body weight.

The cold, moisture and wind are obvious winter stressors for beef cattle. Less obvious are things such as footing and minor injuries caused by rough ground and foreign objects. Before the ground freezes too hard, beef producers should take time to scrape, or grade, lots down as flat as possible. Lots can be smoothed with a tractor blade or a homemade drag. Eliminating ruts, deep tracks, high spots, low spots, etc., helps prevent sprained ankles, hoof injuries and lameness. Lots should also be cleaned out to reduce mud problems and manure buildup. Additionally, loafing mounds should be repaired and lots made to drain properly.

Foreign objects such as wire, nails, broken glass, broken posts, boards, tree limbs, jagged rocks, broken concrete, etc., should be removed from lots before they become frozen in the ground or hidden under the snow. As animals are concentrated in winter facilities, there is a greater chance they will step on, or come in contact with, these foreign objects. These encounters can result in hoof injuries, lameness and other bodily injuries.

Farm equipment, or implements, may also pose a problem when housing animals in the winter. When summer farm work is underway, equipment and implements are stored in pastures and paddocks near the farmstead. As summer winds down and winter approaches, these pieces of equipment may be forgotten or hidden by tall grass and weeds. Often, these are the same pastures and paddocks that animals use during the winter. Cattle might be able to see and avoid the equipment in the summer, but it is unlikely they can avoid it when it is under a blanket of snow.

Footing around feeders and waterers may present problems. Mud and other obstacles that hamper cattle movement to and from feed and water can negatively affect cattle performance. Waterers should be working properly before winter arrives and before cattle are placed in the winter feeding areas. During the winter season, waterers should be checked each day. Leaks and overflows (caused by poorly adjusted or damaged floats) should be fixed in a timely fashion to prevent ice sheets from forming on the ground. Cattle can easily slip and fall on ice, resulting in a variety of injuries. Areas around feed troughs and waterers should be graveled to provide stable footing and keep cattle from getting belly deep in mud.

All shelters (barns, windbreaks, etc.) and facilities should be in good condition and in a good state of repair. All walls, chutes, alleys, gates, fences, troughs and waterers should be checked for sharp edges, protruding nails and bolts, and broken boards and pipes. All hazards should be repaired, or corrected, to prevent injuries. Corners of barns, windbreaks, fences, gates, troughs, waterers, etc., can be padded with old tires or conveyor belts to help prevent bruises and injuries. Protruding gate latches and supports may also present problems when cattle are moved from one part of a facility to another. When cattle are kept in barns, adequate ventilation and lighting should be provided.

Winter presents a number of challenges to beef producers and their cattle. With some preparation, many of these challenges can be alleviated. If done on a regular basis, these winter preparations require a relatively small amount of a beef producer’s time. It could be time well spent when compared to a veterinary bill, lost production or the death of an animal.

The author was previously with UVM Extension in White River Jct., Vt. He is now with the Department of Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Idaho.