10/01/2024
Cold temperatures have arrived. 🥶 These temperatures will cause a marked increase in your cattle’s feed needs. The general rule is, for every degree below 20 Fahrenheit, a cow’s energy requirements increase by about 1%. Likewise, for every degree below the average winter temperature, a 1 lb. increase in calf birth weight and ~2.5% increase in dystocia incidences can be expected based on a 6-year study from the University of Nebraska. Depending on an animals body condition score, cold stress effects will vary. With that in mind, use an integrated approach to reduce the cold’s impact on your herd and “layer her up” in preparation. Let’s talk strategies to do this, with some analogies for their effectiveness:
1️⃣ Windbreaks. For cattle, getting to a wind-protected area is like upgrading from an open station to a tractor with a cab for you while doing winter chores. Both permanent and temporary windbreaks are one of the most effective tools we have to protect cattle from cold stress.
2️⃣ Bedding. Cornstalks, straw, or other sources of bedding will insulate cattle from the frozen ground, keep haircoats more dry, and help cattle better regulate body temperature. Bedding for a cow is like the coveralls for you. Although the benefit of bedding is quantified less in cow-calf trials, feedlot trials have shown a significant, 20-40% maintenance requirement advantage for bedded steers compared to unbedded counterparts.
3️⃣ Feeding time. The rumen is a fermentation machine, and where there is fermentation, heat is produced. Peak heat of fermentation occurs 4-6 hours after the primary eating bout, meaning producers can feed late in the day to provide some extra heat during colder night temperatures. Doing this to warm cattle from the inside out is like having a hot cup of coffee for you.
While we can’t control Mother Nature, we can help cows combat cold stress by providing an integrated approach to control the impact cold temperatures have on our feed bill, calf birth weights, and cow comfort. Read more here: https://lsc-pagepro.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=35546&i=769360&p=14&ver=html5
