Winter weather is dangerous at best and can be deadly to humans and livestock alike, if protective measures are not taken. There are basically two types of severe winter storms that present a danger to life: blizzards and ice storms. The bitter cold temperatures that cause them create a deadly situation when combined with even the slightest wind. Cold alone usually presents no danger to livestock in and of itself, but a 20-mph wind is equivalent to a 30-degree drop in temperature. Two common injuries in cold weather are frostbitten ears, which present little economic impact, and frostbitten male reproductive organs – disastrous to breeding. Despite the obvious dangers presented by winter weather, the Number One Killer of livestock in cold weather is dehydration.

A blizzard is defined by the National Weather Service as large amounts of falling or blowing snow with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibility of less than ¼ mile. Ice storms occur when the temperature at the surface hovers around the freezing point. Liquid precipitation freezes as soon as it hits and accumulates very quickly. Trees and power lines quickly become overburdened with ice and begin to break.

During the Blizzard of 1888, millions of cattle perished in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions, effectively destroying the beef industry in the United States. The effects escalated as time went on, and by the following summer, the economy of the United States was gripped in a great economic depression.

Preparing for a winter storm

Of primary importance for man and beast during a winter storm is shelter. Even a simple windbreak can mean the difference between life and death for a herd of animals. Incredibly enough, properly designed windbreaks, or timber-covered lowlands are better protection for range cattle, than most shed-type shelters, into which they are prone to overcrowd and overheat, causing subsequent respiratory problems such as pneumonia.

A better shelter is a well-ventilated barn with plenty of room to prevent overcrowding. In very cold temperatures, it is advisable to provide some sort of heat source for the barn, with a back-up source, of course. Kidding barns especially need to be warm.

Proper feeding is crucial to an animal’s well-being in cold weather. During severe or prolonged cold weather, animals need extra feed to maintain body heat and production weight gains. A grain ration that maintains an animal during the summer will probably not carry it through the stress of prolonged or severe cold. Haul extra grain to feeding areas before the storm arrives. If the storm lasts for more than 48 hours, you may need to use emergency feeding methods. Pelleted concentrates with molasses make good emergency feed. Automatic feeders may not work during power failures unless you have a source of emergency power. Be sure to place sand or other gritty material on icy feedlots to provide good footing.

Add hay to the ration as soon as possible. Feeding hay daily will greatly reduce the possibility of overeating disorders. Even moisture-saturated hay can be used until suitable feed is available, but never feed mildewed hay.

As stated above, the greatest danger to livestock in cold weather is dehydration, often accompanied by kidney failure. All animals, especially ruminants, need plenty of water during cold weather. Livestock will not be able to satisfy all of their water requirements by eating snow. In pastures with severe drifting, water in shallow streams may be absorbed by snow in the stream bed or frozen solid. Very little, if any, running water may be available for several days. You may need to haul water to goats. If water is limited, keep goats off salt. Animals which have been away from feed and water for several days may overeat salt, causing salt poisoning. Whatever the source of water, watch that it remains unfrozen so animals can drink it.

Evacuation is seldom an option during a winter storm therefore it is best to be prepared for anything Old Man Winter throws your way. In remote areas, or when stock cannot be reached by roads, use planes, helicopters or snowmobiles to supply emergency rations.

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