Last week we discussed pets. In Brookings County and our local area, we probably have more livestock than pets. It is important to remember them also.
Any disaster, whether its a flood, hurricane, tornado or earthquake, can catch you off guard and leave you in danger. Conditions such as drought and extreme cold or heat are day-to-day health and safety concerns for animals under your care. You never want to be caught off-guard.
Its important to have a plan in place ahead of severe weather to protect your animals and livestock. Pets, farm animals and livestock rely on their humans to protect them and keep them safe in all types of emergencies. The steps we take or dont take will directly impact their well-being.
Knowing the types of emergencies that could happen where you live and whether you need to make any specific preparations for them is an important first step to take.
With the extended periods of cold weather, livestock in our area cattle are susceptible to cold stress for significant portions of the year. SDSU Extension offers this information related to beef and cold stress impacts on cattle.
There are two approaches that can be taken to mitigate the effects of cold stress on the performance and well-being of cattle:
- Practices that reduce the amount of heat lost to the environment
- Those that increase the amount of heat produced by the animal
Wind protection
- Windbreaks can range from temporary (portable structures, rows of large bales) to permanent (windbreak fences, shelterbelts).
- Build a strong shelter. Make sure you have a sturdy shelter that can protect animals and livestock from the elements. A livestock shelter should provide enough space for each animal. A general guideline is to provide enough space roughly four times its body size. This will help keep each animal comfortable during very uncomfortable situations. It should be able to sustain high winds and heavy rain and keep them all dry. Consider building it on high ground to avoid flooding.
Bedding
Providing bedding material will reduce the amount of heat lost and help to keep the cattle clean and dry. It is beneficial during calving season to alleviate cold stress on newborn calves.
Boosting an animal’s heat production
Feed intake and feed management: Increased feed intake will provide additional energy. Have adequate food and water. Provide adequate supplies for animals and livestock. This will be important if you arent able to reach them for a day or so. They should have plenty of food and a steady supply of water to sustain them throughout a severe weather event. During extremely cold temperatures, water will freeze. You will need to break up ice or replace the frozen water. Altering the time of day that feed is offered is another management strategy that has been proposed to deal with cold stress.
Body condition: Increased amounts of body tissue, and specifically fat, can serve as an effective form of insulation, limiting the amount of heat that is lost by the animal. Body fat also serves as an important energy reserve to support metabolism and provides a measure of insurance if cattle are under cold stress for an extended period of time. This is especially important under conditions where cattle may be unable or unwilling to increase feed intake, such as during severe storms.
Pigs, poultry, sheep
Pigs are susceptible to cold stress when exposed to extreme cold temperatures and require proper shelter and bedding to stay warm and more feed to maintain heat production and body condition.
Poultry need a warm coop when temperatures fall below 35 degrees F. Make sure they have free access to fresh water. Manage manure and provide ventilation to control moisture in your coop.
Sheep can tolerate extreme weather conditions due to their thick coats of wool and hair. However, the challenge comes when the cold temperatures are matched with snow fall and high winds or prolonged extreme weather. Producers should provide some kind of winter shelter for their sheep. A regular barn, three-sided shelter, tree line or wind break. Access to fresh clean water and added feed.
In case you are not home when a winter storm hits:
- Designate a neighbor to tend to your livestock (this person should be familiar with your livestock and have your emergency contact information).
- Make sure livestock has some form of identification (microchip, ear/leg tag, leg band, tattoo etc.).
How best to protect your livestock and farm animals in extreme weather will depend on the size of your herds, what type of animals you have and how extreme the weather gets.
Providing the basics food, water and shelter will go a long way to keeping them safe. Your local veterinarian or Extension office can provide specific advice based on your region and animal type. Information in this article came from SDSU Extension and the University of Minnesota Extension.
Preparedness begins at home, and your livestock depend on you to keep you and them safe. Until next time, keep your eye on the sky.
Bob the EM
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