PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA, NE PERMIT NO. 36
Section
A
Volume IX, Issue 1
January 2015
Cold takes a toll on animals
Time needed for care rises as temperature plummets by Gordon Wolf As many seek shelter indoors from the early January sub-zero temperatures, Iowa livestock producers are spending extra time outdoors to make sure their animals are protected and safe. Even with this extra care, beef animals cannot maintain a rate of gain against the frigid weather. ISU Extension Beef Specialist Beth Doran said the normal comfort zone for a beef animal, with dry hair and a dry environment, is 32 degrees. “Every degree below 32 degrees, assuming the cattle are clean and dry, increases their energy needs
by one percent,” said Doran. “When you’re getting down to those negative temperatures, it might be the energy needs are so great you can’t feed them enough. They might lose a little weight. Hopefully, the cold spell won’t last.” Doran said producers can’t just increase the energy intake of their animals by doubling their feed; this will lead to a lot of digestive problems. She said when the weather is this cold, all producers can do in terms of energy needs is to perhaps increase the feed a little, but they shouldn’t make any dramatic changes.
Producers can help their animals against the wind by putting up any kind of windbreak. A windbreak fence will help, and Doran said many producers stack large round bales of hay or cornstalks high enough to offer cattle protection from the wind. “In this kind of weather, when it’s extremely cold, it would pay for producers to put down some bedding for livestock. This will help in terms of insulation against the cold, whether in a feedlot or a cow/calf operation,” Doran said. CARE, Page 3A