Winterizing For Your Cattle Herd

Winterizing For Your Cattle Herd

Most of the time when ranchers consider winterizing their cow herd, they think about assessing their cows’ body condition scores. University of Idaho Beef Extension Specialist Dr. Benton Glaze suggests that is additional winterizing to be done.
Glaze: “But I think there are some other things to think about as they bring cattle in from the range or pasture and put them in some paddocks and lots. Just preparing those lots and pastures so those animals make it through the winter safe and uninjured.”
Dr. Glaze continues with more details
Glaze: “I think one of the first things that they can do is before they begin moving animals in — before the ground gets covered in snow and ice — They need to go through and pick up loose boards, pipes — any kind of foreign materials — that are in the pasture and in those paddocks. That will make sure that the area is clean before it gets covered with snow and ice. Then as the animals move around in that area through the winter, they are not stepping on any foreign objects or foreign matter that may cause injury to their hooves or maybe even to their body as they lie down and bed up.”

 

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