Bitter cold temperatures have arrived across large swaths of cattle country and with the cold comes winter cattle care reminders.
That includes the most vulnerable in this sort of weather— calves.
Experts from BCI Cattle Chat weigh in on the temperatures that raise concern.
According to Todd Gunderson, “I don’t know if I can give you one particular temperature where below that temperature you need to start wearing. Generally speaking, once we get down into the teens, single-digits in Fahrenheit scale, you got to worry about calves starting to lose ears, lose tails to frostbite. But the wind chill factors a lot into that, and also the conditions that those calves are being born into. If you’re calving into an area that’s got a lot of mud, or a lot of manure that’s going to increase their heat transfer from their little bodies if they can’t get dry; if they can’t get out of the wind. Those things all factor into that, but generally speaking, once we start getting down into the teens and especially the single digits and of course below 0, we have to worry a lot about wind chill and then the effect that’s going to have on extremities of little calves.”
That wet and cold weather has hit a large portion of the country with some livestock producers dealing with record snowfalls.
This winter weather comes as nearly 75% of the U.S. cow herd prepares for spring calving making for a nutritionally challenging situation with little to no quality forages still remaining.
A Bio-Zyme expert told Drovers that supplementing protein in winter cattle diets is key to keeping cows healthy and performing well, and sets calves up for a better start in life.
He suggests commercial supplements like blocks, tubs, and loose feeds. These often include additional minerals and vitamins.
Oilseed meals can also be an excellent protein source. They are easy to digest and can complement low-quality forages. Distillers grains are another high-protein option.
A cost-effective option includes urea and other non-protein nitrogen. However, it is important to note that these require careful management to avoid toxicity.
Finally, legume hays like alfalfa and clover can be higher in protein than most available forages this time of year.
In feedlots, maintaining nutrition in the cold is top of mind, but a few other management efforts should be as well. Fresh, unfrozen water is key as dehydration can disrupt digestive processes and impact growth.
Continuous flow tanks, heated waters, and even windbreakers can help reduce that risk. Windbreaks can also help provide cattle a way to escape the cold, along with bedding for insulation.
Finally, paying closer attention to animal health during checks can be critical as foot issues and lameness become more prevalent during freeze and thaw cycles.
