Preparing cattle for winter weather

Post by CommonGround Nebraska volunteer, Chandra Horky from Sargent, Nebraska.

The national weather service has issued a severe winter weather warning for areas in west and central Nebraska and we must get prepared for the oncoming storm for our cattle.

We start by bedding down shelter areas for cows and calves. Cornstalk bales are put into a processor to cut the cornstalks and spread. This is for any new calves that will come during the winter storm. The heifers that look close to calving will be put into the shed. Or any new calves found out in the heifer pen will be put in the calf shed as well. They bed down the areas where heifers that have had a calf recently and are waiting to be moved to the pairs pasture. In the pairs pasture, we will then process more cornstalk bales behind a shelter belt that is made of cedar trees.

We go out to check all the pairs in the pastures to check for all the calves and make sure they are paired up correctly. At our place, we bring them into a corral that is on the south and east side a cedar tree shelter belt. This will protect the cows and calves from any north, northwest wind.

During this past winter storm we had 23 babies born on Sunday. Sunday is suppose to be a day of rest, but I don't think the heifers got that memo! :)