Beef

Things necessary to get your cows through the winter – Part 1

Written by Shelley Hatfield/Whippoorwill Pines Farm

I’m going to talk about 6 things needed to help your cows get through the winter.  I’m sure that there are more than 6 things but these are what I think are most important.  The first thing that you need is fresh water!!  Where you are in the United States will determine how hard this will be over the winter.  Some places are warm enough that they just have to make sure it stays full.  But in some places it almost freezes before you get back to the house.  But fresh water is so important in the health of your cows.  It has been said that cows need 1 to 2 gallons of water per 100pd of body weight.  I know some think that maybe they can lick the snow or lick the ice.  But licking the ice would take so much time to get what they need.  It would also take up body energy that they need to keep warm. Cows that don’t have enough water supply can get dehydrated and are susceptible to colic and other issues.  It is just best to keep fresh water out to them daily.  

Not having water can hinder so many areas in a cow.  Whether in summer or winter, water is so important to the health of your cow.  People usually think about water problems for the summer time, but making sure they have water is also very important for winter.  It affects their digestive system.  It keeps their body temp regulated.  It affects milk production.  Water or lack of it can affect the overall health of your herd.  

There are a couple of different tank heaters that you can use.  One is a floating one that has a cage around it.  I used those for several years, but ran into problems with them.  My cows would get bored and chew on the cord as it hung over the tank.  I used a pvc pipe to try to help.  It worked as long as they left it alone.  There is also a tank heater that goes in the drain hole at the bottom.  This is the one that I’m using now.  I can run the cord out the bottom and around so they can’t reach it.  I will warn you that tank heaters can run up your electricity.  But unless you have waterers run to your pastures, it is tank heaters or break the ice!!  I’ve tried all the tricks that people have come up with and I haven’t found any that work for me.  

Whatever method you decide, tank heaters or breaking ice all day, lets just make sure that we are keeping fresh water to our herds this winter!!

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Beef Farm Management Herd Health

An article for the Irish Dexter Cattleman website

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Good afternoon, I’m sitting down to write up an article for the Irish Dexter Cattleman website.  I’m going to write this one up myself but I will include a few articles that you can go check out for yourself.  I don’t feel that I have any experience with this production yet as I’m just starting it myself.

I have been reading and watching so many different farms that have been using this as their practice and it is amazing what happens.  I’m talking about regenerative grazing. 

There is a place in Greenfield, IN called Tyner Pond Farm.  I was reading one of their articles this past spring and they had just pulled their cows off in March of this year.  They had wintered all winter on their pastures!!  They finally were feeding hay bales in March.  Their location is in Indiana which is about 2+ hours from me, but it is about directly across from me. So, the temperatures are close to being the same.  When I saw pictures, they had green grass still in March of 2024.  I find that amazing!! That is something that I want to strive for. 

Another place to find information about this practice is Greg Judy at Green Pastures Farm.  There are several videos that you can find on YouTube about how he does this practice.  

There is also Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm, who practices these methods.  

I’m still getting my perimeter fences all put in, hopefully they will all be put in by next spring.  Once you have your perimeter fences put in, you will separate those into small paddocks.  You will move your cattle every day through those paddocks.  As you watch Greg Judy, he has water lines run out to each paddock.  And most other people do, too.  That will be a down the road option for me.

This practice is a lot of work, but I believe that it will be well worth my time!!  Moving the cattle helps keep the microbes in the ground going.  It also helps to keep you from overgrazing your pastures, which is what I’m doing now.  Over grazing lets so many weeds in that it isn’t funny!!  This regenerative grazing also cuts down on the weeds.  

Another reason that I just learned this week is when you get your pastures going, you make sure your grass cocktail is good.  If you have a good cocktail of grasses that will keep the fly problem down!!!  Greg Judy has a Youtube video out that shows his cattle out on pasture with hardly, if any, flies on the cows.  It was amazing to watch!!!  The cows were sleek and shining with hardly any flies.  He talks about it with the guy who oversees it.  It is amazing!!!

I hope to come and write another article in about 3 years or so and tell you how it is going. I know that it will be hard work, but it will be so beneficial in the end!!  

Check out these farms to learn more information.  I believe this is so important for our pastures.  We need to preserve them as much as we can.

Shelley Hatfield

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