Cattle and winter rain

[Callieslamb]

Now that the bad weather seems to be approaching.....at what point do you put your calves/cows under cover? and when do you consider it okay to leave them out? Currently, when it rains, I bring mine inside. I am beginning to see that they could almost spend the entire winter INSIDE. I do not enjoy cleaning stalls enough to want to do that.

Is there a point that they can just stay out? Can they lay down on hard, wet, cold ground and be okay?

Now, remember, I have spoiled, city-cows. They are not tough like some of yours. I have a jersey steer and a jersey/holstein cross heifer. I know some of you just leave yours out all the time - my dad did that too. But I don't have any trees for them to hide under. The overhang at the back of the barn doesn't really keep them out of the weather very much. It isn't an option to leave the barn open for them to go in and out as they would like. Yes, i can put up tarps and all kinds of things....but, when can they just stay out in it (like tough country cows)?