The Next 6 Weeks

[randiliana]

Here is the grazing where our cattle will be for the next 6 weeks or so.



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[bruce2288]

Randi. Are you just trying to get the people who think cows are pets to give you a hard time? I will be moveing to a fresh corn stalk field in a few weeks. So far an open winter here.

[springvalley]

Cows as pets or not, if I turned my Jersey`s out there after a few weeks I would find a bunch of frozen bodies lying in the snow. I know stocker cows are a tough bunch, good luck. And happy winter. > Marc

[randiliana]

Naw, Bruce, Just to show that things aren't always what they seem....

OK, it isn't quite as bad as it looks :lol: . I think they should come off that field positively FAT!! They just have to do a little digging. It is oat swaths/windrows that they are eating. Never combined or baled....

And, you will notice our Holstein nurse cow in one of the group shots...
















As far as shelter, they will be getting some portable windbreaks. Once we remodify our portable feeder panels, which we aren't using this winter. There are a few pretty good dips they can get into, and if it gets really stormy before we can get the windbreaks out there, they are only 1/2 mile from home, and we can bring them there to weather the storm.

[MO_cows]

Looks like they figured out where the good stuff is. I really like oat hay but it is impossible to find around here any more, everybody plants corn or soybeans. Do they get enough water from the snow, or do you have to chop ice on a pond or something?

[randiliana]

We chop a hole in the dugout for them. There are people around who just let them eat snow, but I like for them to have water.

[Windswept Hill]

Originally Posted by randiliana

We chop a hole in the dugout for them. There are people around who just let them eat snow, but I like for them to have water.

What's the 'dugout'?

I was wondering how much water a full grown Highland Cow requires each day? I will be installing an automatic waterer in the spring but it looks like I will be getting the animals during the winter and I will have to use a stock tank and heater in the meantime....

[randiliana]

A dugout is a man made pond, usually dug where there is a spring or where it will catch run off water.

How much they will drink will depend on the weather and on the feed. In hot weather they will drink more and in cold weather less. With drier feed they will also drink more. You can at least figure on 5-10 gallons a day in colder weather and up to twice that in hot weather.

[tnokie]

Hope the snow doesn't get to deep! Looking at the first pic I thought OMG! those poor cows are going to starve to death!