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How is this weather effecting livestock guys!!!

J

JD Seller

Well-known Member
It sure is making more work around here. The wet weather and the quick switch to real cold is hard on cattle. They really are not conditioned for this type of weather this winter. We are checking them every hour or so. They all have some type of wind shelter they can get behind to block the worst of the winds. We blocked one end on a yard yesterday with corn stalk bales just to makes sure that those cattle would be out of the direct wind. We have a pen of southern feeders that have only been here two weeks so We really are watching them. we also are going through bedding at a higher rate than the weather would normally dictate. We wanted everything to have a good bedding pack for this cold spell.

I would not want to milk like Bruce does but on days like this I really like his tie stall barn. A lot of work inside where it is warm. The flip side is a lot of work in the summer when it is hot too. LOL So I guess I will stay with what I got.

So be safe and extra careful in this cold weather. It would take just minutes to be in trouble if you fell and had to lay there.
 
Nephew is doing okay with the weather. He has a semi ordered to take out the first load of 70 feeder calves a week from tomorrow. That will lighten the work load a bit.

Son is a sophomore in high school; the plan is that son will take over the cattle operation after he graduates from high school, so Dad can reduce his workload a bit.
 
We have more livestock around this winter- I doubled the ewe flock and we've got a few beef around as well. I expected feed to go up, and it has, but we are really using a lot more bedding. I'm ready for the rain to stop. We are due east of you at Elizabeth, Illinois.
 



Business as usual around here, for us, -20 nights are expected in January, but we don't have frozen mud to deal with.
IMG_2538_zpsq21rpzom.jpg
 
I ground feed yesterday, that should last a couple of weeks. Need to get more corn from the bin for the next load. Been bedding heavy with "hay" baled from one of neighbor's farms - land that was fallow for a few years, mostly dead grass, some thick weed stems. The girls like to root around for the green stuff in there, even more than wheat straw bedding. All that rain made it kinda muddy, so extra bedding. The only time my Behlen waterer froze was when the thermostat failed open. Have a spare in the toolbox for that! might have to tear into the clothes dryer squeak while keeping an eye on the Vikings/Seahawks...at least the grapes are already trimmed.
 
Chicken waterers were froze up this morning but I expected that. I have heat lamps that I hang on top each fountain during cold snaps. That's all it takes. Got them plugged in now.
 
Just have to make sure the teats are dry before throwing the cows out, but they have a bedding pack shed they can go to, takes a little longer milking cause I have 2 groups of cows and the second group is in the holding pen while milking the first group, but in bad weather I let them stay in the shed while I milk the first group then go round up the second group, throw out first group, scrape the barn and then bring in second group, and go back to milking! I need a parlor!
 
Your right about that True Son. I think we have used around 800 bales so far. We are talking about baling some in the spring just to make sure we have enough. We inline wrap any spring ones we bale. I have kept them for 2-3 years wrapped and they are still good and dry.
 
UAFitter I went to an auction over in Elisabeth 2 years ago I think. Farm right on 20 on the west side of town,south side of the road by the quarry. The father passed away and the son is a police officer in Chicago if I remember correctly. He kept the farm and rented it to some cousins. I bought several things at the sale. The farm had been a great livestock set up years ago. Silos and good barns.
 
It is so simple to set up a windblock using bales but so many people tend to overlook that and then they have sick cattle.
 
pikt up some cloratettracyclene Friday , to mix in the feed ,. got some runny noses .. opened the barn more so they got dry loafin space..
 
Yes, I know the people. Jim was a wonderful guy. I had been there with my wife on vet calls several times (she's the vet, not me.) stay warm!
 
Using grass hay for bedding in the hog barn, and lots of it. When I went out to feed this morning
, the pigs were buried in the hay and they had half a dozen roosters sitting on top keeping warm. Auto waterer is frozen solid. Ask wife 4 days ago if the heater was working in the waterer, she said yes, I guess she needs new glasses.
 
I don't know how you guys north of the 40th parallel raise cattle in the winter. Down here on the Arkansas /Missouri line we normally have fairly mild winters. Other than the flood waters it's been a pretty nice winter so far. Most of my farm was under water for a few days but anyone near water should prepare for that. Summers are our worst time with the heat, humidity, bugs and snakes.
 
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