Bitter Cold Temps will Create Prolonged Period of Livestock Cold Stress

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:30:09 GMT

Source: University of Kentucky Extension

Bitter cold temperatures are on the way, and they will move the livestock cold stress index into the emergency category for a prolonged period, said Matt Dixon, agricultural meteorologist with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Livestock producers should make sure animals have adequate shelter, water, dry bedding and feed to make it through this cold spell. Pet owners should bring pets indoors. UK livestock specialists said animals have a higher requirement for energy in the colder months, so producers should have high-quality forages and grains on hand to meet their needs.

The average horse, with a lower activity level, should eat between 1.5 and 2 percent of its body weight in feed per day to maintain its weight. UK equine specialist Bob Coleman said that feed requirement goes up in the winter, as the horse uses more calories to keep warm. He recommended providing extra hay and adding grain to the diet if forage supplies are not adequate. For mature horses at maintenance a good quality legume-grass mixed hay should be adequate while young growing horses or broodmares in late gestation require a concentrate in their diets to meet the increased calorie needs due to the colder temperatures. If an owner is adding concentrate for the first time make the additions gradually to prevent digestive upsets. In addition horses will need shelter to provide protection from the wind and any precipitation that may come. He said it’s also important for horses to have access to clean, water to ensure that the horses will eat adequate amounts of feed and reduce the risk of impaction. All horse owners need to take extra time observing horses during this cold snap to make sure all horses are okay. Ones who are feeling the effects of the cold will need extra attention.

Ambient temperatures can impact the amount of dry matter cattle eat, providing an opportunity to compensate for increased maintenance energy needs. Producers either need to increase their animals’ feed intake or increase the energy density of the diet by feeding higher quality hay or adding more grain or fat to the grain mix, said UK beef specialist Jeff Lehmkuhler.

Lehmkuhler recommended that producers continue to monitor cows during the wintertime and make sure to maintain the animals’ body condition.

“Poor quality hay may not provide adequate energy to maintain gestating cows that are entering the third trimester,” he said. “Consider having the hay tested to determine if you need to supplement during times of possible cold stress, especially for the enduring cold spells.”

He said to consider separating younger and thinner cows that may not have the same internal insulation as conditioned older cows and supplement them accordingly or offer them higher quality forage if available. Coleman said equine owners can employ similar strategies and separate animals according to body condition score.

“Producers should move cows to fields with natural windbreaks or provide man-made windbreaks, which are not the same as a barn,” Lehmkuhler suggested. “Poorly managed barns combined with poor ventilation may actually hamper efforts to improve the environmental conditions. Lastly, remember it is energy or calories that are really needed. If the protein level in the forage is adequate, do not make supplement decisions based on protein level; rather purchase the most affordable calories. Stay warm and keep the waterers flowing.”

The lower critical temperature (LCT) value for cattle is the lowest temperature or wind chill at which no additional energy is required to maintain core body temperature.

“As the temperature declines below this lower critical value, the maintenance energy value for the animal is increased to maintain core body temperature,” he said. “Animals maintain core body temperature by increasing their metabolism resulting in greater heat production, as well as other heat conservation strategies such as reducing blood flow to the extremities, shivering and increased intake.”

Lehmkuhler said several things can influence lower critical temperature value.

“Both external and internal insulation influences the LCT. External insulation is basically the depth and thickness of the hair coat, condition of the hair coat and thickness of the hide,” he said. “Thin-hided breeds such as dairy breeds tend to have a lower insulating factor than thick-hided breeds like Herefords. The condition of the hair coat is extremely important as an external insulation barrier.”

The hair coat acts as insulation similar to home attic insulation that traps air, enhancing the insulating value. If the hair is wet and full of mud, air is excluded, reducing the insulating value and increasing heat loss from the skin to the environment. The density of the hair coat and if it is wet or dry impacts the wind chill temperatures at which cold stress is considered mild, moderate or severe. As little as 0.1 inch of rain can immediately impact cold stress severity by matting the hair down reducing its insulating ability. Acclimation time, hide thickness, fat cover and other factors will also influence the degree of cold stress that animals experience.

Winter Livestock Care Considerations

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:28:49 GMT

Cold weather is quickly approaching. Being prepared will help your livestock winter a little easier.
By: Katie Ockert, Michigan State University Extension

Winter is quickly approaching, which means cold temperatures! Utilizing some easy techniques on your farm will help you manage your herd successfully during the winter months.

Water

Ensuring your herd has access to fresh, clean water is essential to their health. In the winter, battling frozen water buckets and tanks can be a challenge. By utilizing tank heaters, heated buckets or automatic waterers, water is kept ice-free and at a temperature the animal is comfortable drinking. Products that utilize electricity, such as tank heaters and heated buckets, should be checked with a voltmeter to ensure there is no current running through the water. Any electrical current will deter animals from drinking from the water tank or bucket. By inserting one end of the voltmeter in the water tank and the other into the ground, you will get a reading that will indicate if there is a problem. Make sure to check this often.

The University of Wisconsin Extension has published a water consumption chart that outlines the amounts of water certain species will consume per day. Ensuring that your animal is consuming enough water each day is critical to their overall health and wellbeing.

Housing

Most animals need some shelter during the winter months, however their natural winter coats allow them to endure cold temperatures. Humans oftentimes are prone to making the winter environment for their animals too warm, which is unhealthy for animals. Michigan State University Extension recommends the following factors to consider when evaluating the housing of your animals:

Air quality. Is there adequate ventilation to help dispel respiration gasses and manure odor? Poor ventilation can cause irritation in the animal’s lungs and lead to pneumonia.
Dry bedding areas. Dry bedding provides insulation from the cold ground and helps decrease the amount of energy animals use to keep them warm.

Feed

Animals must maintain their energy reserves in order to endure cold temperatures. They also need food for growth and maintenance. During cold weather, it may be necessary to increase the amounts of good quality feed and forages. Supplying adequate amounts of feed is essential in your herd’s wellbeing through the winter months.

Winter Feeding

Bitter Cold Temps will Create Prolonged Period of Livestock Cold Stress

Winter Livestock Care Considerations

Water

Housing

Feed