# Helping Cattle Deal With The Cold.



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

A timely topic.

Regards, Mike

http://www.agweb.com/article/help_cattle_cope_with_cold_weather_NAA_University_News_Release/


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

As the article mentioned, the rain preceding the clod front is a big concern. This quote surprised me somewhat.



> if precipitation has the animals wet all the way to the skin, the critical temperature in most cattle is only 59 F.


I did not know 59 degrees could be that bad if the cattle were wet to the skin. Now I am wondering what "wet to the skin" actually is? I always figured the hair coat laid down and caused rain water to shed.

We have been lucky so far with no health damage we can see.

One more night of this and we should be in the clear. Just finished letting the new calves nurse and are back in their hutch.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

I have to say I was worried this morning. The cows got soaked in a thunderstorm in the afternoon, the temp went from 50 down to 10 in less than 3 hours. I had standing water in the barn due to combo of snowbanks redirecting melt water and wind blown. It was 5 degrees this morning, but they were all out lounging around the bale feeder, looking pretty darn comfy considering.

I'm considering setting up a creep feeder this winter. I"m noticing the calves are getting shoved out of the grain tubs by the bigger cows. How much per calf do you guys feed out in the creep? It will be inside the barn, I"m getting a calf pass panel.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Dill,

I would have been worried as well.

I have a calf pass panel with a self feeder inside for the calves still nursing. With the high feed prices this past year I probably just broke even on the gain. I do not mind feeding calves because every pound they gain is money.

I just began feeding brewers grain and think I am going to like it, so far so good. Right now I am feeding the calves in troughs. Plan on trying to feed the brewers grain in a self feeder for the calves to see how that works.


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