Well the winter storms have hit. We have 8 inches of snow and ice. Hopefully, this article finds everyone safe and warm. But, what are some tips for this winter?
We need to carry extra clothes and/or blankets, water, de-icer and maybe something to snack on if we get caught in this. It might not hurt to have some kitty litter or oil dry with us. This kitty litter can help if we are stuck on ice for traction, and oil dry will also work. We all need to drive our automatic transmissions like standards in slick roads. Let the transmission slow you down to avoid hitting the brakes. When we hit the brakes, it will lock up the tires and you loose control of the vehicle. Never travel any faster than what your transmission can slow you down to a stop.
Now, for the animals… They need the number one ingredient for survival, fresh water. I also like to see a lot of calories going into them. Not just high protein. Cattle need some protein, but they do not need protein to make heat, its calories. So, feed that hay. As hay is digested into glucose, it gives off heat increment, which is the heat made during the digestion and it warms them up. Contrary to popular belief, corn is not a real hot feed. Yes, it does have a lot of good calories, but it does not make that much heat during digestion. Hay and forage does. Just think about it, if you come in and eat a warm bowl of beans or soup or stew, you warm right up.
We also need to think about getting our animals a wind break. If animals are fed enough, out of the wind and dry, they can withstand a lot of cold. Where if you are wet and out in this weather, it doesn’t take long to get very cold. This is why all of the cattle died in the Dakotas earlier this year. They got a freezing rain and then very cold temperatures. Animals were cold and wet, while being in the wind. Luckily our woods and hollers’ help with this naturally.
Another point is to put out some old hay or straw for them to bed down in. If we insulate the ground from them, they will be a little warmer while they rest. We used to save bales of straw from wheat harvest and put it out on the south and east sides of our draws for cattle to bed down in. Amazingly, most of them would.
Babies will need external heat. They do not have the body mass to make enough heat for them to stay warm in this weather. Please, remember, DRY AND OUT OF THE WIND.
