Old Man Winter

HerseyMI · #1 01/30/14, 10:00 AM

Is it just here that this year the winter is so harsh? Its been so cold and windy that eight feeder / grower pigs have hardly gained weight since December. They look okay, just seem stunted at 90 to 100 pounds I guess. The older pigs are thinning a bit this last week. We've had a lot of -30 degree Fahrenhiet nights with strong winds. Everyday these past few weeks I wonder if I'll be able to get out of the driveway and get to work! Its all the animals can do to keep warm. I've bought more straw this year than ever and more this weekend.

February looks like it may be mild. Last night my co-workers were joking about it being a heat wave because it was 10 degrees above zero and fairly calm when we got out of work.

haypoint · #2 01/30/14, 10:26 AM

Most of Michigan, colder and more snow than average. UP about average. But our average is just a touch worse than what you are getting this year.
Drought in CA was expected 8 months ago. Ocean cooler, less precipitation and currents rush up the west coast, warming Alaska and shoving the arctic air down to us. Expect a late Spring, hot dry summer.

Pig in a poke · #3 01/30/14, 03:52 PM

We have been down to zero at least three times in the last month, and single digits to teens most other nights. I don't even know what the wind chills have been. I've been letting the pigs have an open-ended horse stall bedded deeply with straw, and I hung a heat lamp in the hay rack for them. The Guinea hogs are doing fine, at 8 months old with plenty of fat and hairy coats. But the Berkshire weaner we brought home at Thanksgiving has gained very little and has hardly any coat hair. Poor thing was shivering even at a high of 20 degrees. He can't seem to be still and conserve calories, always jumping up from the huddle and running around squealing if he hears someone outside. Hopefully he'll rebound whenever the temperatures moderate. I don't usually complain about winter, but most winters aren't this brutal!

**highlands** · #4 01/30/14, 05:39 PM

Warmer than some years, cooler than others. Not particularly bad. Low snow level compared with usual.

solsikkefarms · #5 01/30/14, 06:01 PM

never experienced so many days with -50 (or less) wind chills.. the -14 for a high the other day was down right painful but I increased the grains the pigs get and they are still putting on weight, getting pretty furry though.

gerold · #6 01/30/14, 06:17 PM

Cold winter here. Increase the grain by 15 percent this winter. Pigs are looking good.

ben70b · #7 01/30/14, 07:55 PM

Very much colder than usual here in Illinois this year, talk to some of the old timers and they remember farrowing in weather like this years ago. Talked to one breeder that I buy from and he farrowed the 15th of January a bunch I guess, I'll get a dozen or so in early march from him I hope mother nature gets the cold out of her system by then.

Lazy J · #8 01/30/14, 08:25 PM

And now you understand why farmers moved pigs inside climate controlled buildings. Many farmers claimed that the feed savings paid for their news barns in the first year after moving pigs inside.

haypoint · #9 01/30/14, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazy J

And now you understand why farmers moved pigs inside climate controlled buildings. Many farmers claimed that the feed savings paid for their news barns in the first year after moving pigs inside.

and why feeder pigs are most expensive in May and cheapest in December, January and February!

HerseyMI · #10 01/30/14, 11:30 PM

I want a big hoop barn soooo bad! Lol! Pulling the trigger might be easy after this winter!

**highlands** · #11 01/31/14, 10:09 AM

With a hoop barn, a greenhouse essentially, I find it is best to leave it mostly open, closing off the north wall with just a high openable vent there, the sides are closed to open and the south lee wall is open but limitable in the absolute worst weather. Never close completely or the humidity builds up too much. Deep bedding pack on a slight slope to drain. Make the whole thing pig tough. Center ridge pole with posts in high snow areas like we normally get to avoid collapse. This creates a sheltered space that feels kind of like October to November even in January. Ventilation is critical for the health of farmers and animals - thus why it is so open. The composting bedding heats the place as doe the animals. Just getting down out of the wind makes a world of difference.

agreatday · #12 01/31/14, 08:53 PM

I don't know how you guys do it with double digit MINUS temps! We whine in Oregon if it gets around freezing!

We're having a very mild, though dry, winter in Oregon. Hoping for rain to make up the terrible deficits.

bmurphy96 · #13 02/01/14, 08:07 AM

I have lived in me Florida for about 30 years. This winter it has been colder longer than any other winter. The storm that paralyzed Atlanta earlier this week gave us significant amounts of freezing rain, sleet and even some snow. So of course our sow farrowed that night.

**highlands** · #14 02/01/14, 12:19 PM

Fortunately the coldest winter day ever in Florida is balmy.

We had a sow farrow at -24°F in the middle of a windy night in front of out three sided open south field shed. She chose to build her nest there instead of further in. All the piglets survived, thrived and are fine. I personally would rather her have done it on a warmer days but it is always sows be willing. I don't set the schedule.

solsikkefarms · #15 02/01/14, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agreatday

I don't know how you guys do it with double digit MINUS temps! We whine in Oregon if it gets around freezing!

We're having a very mild, though dry, winter in Oregon. Hoping for rain to make up the terrible deficits.

I'm waiting for the day we see temps above freezing, it will be like summer. Though, they are not in the forecast anytime soon.

**highlands** · #16 02/01/14, 03:43 PM

I would actually prefer not to see temperatures above freezing until spring. When it stays in the 10°F to 20°F range it's not so bad because things are livably cool but dry. In the 30°F range it is wet and nasty. It is much easier to stay warm when it is a bit colder and dry.

ben70b · #17 02/02/14, 07:03 AM

I'm ready for temps above freezing for sure, sounds like I get my little ones at the end of the month and I hope it ain't too harsh, Oregon sure sounds nice, I have friends in northern Nevada and it sounds nice there, that's close to Oregon isn't it?

farmerj · #18 02/02/14, 07:05 AM

the weather has actually been returning to normal winters. Historically.

The issues are that we've had such mild ones lately, they have become what we thought was normal.

for norther indiana
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/iwx/?n=2013_2014winter

for minnesota
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display...00109&source=0

ErikaMay · #19 02/02/14, 04:02 PM

No..no...Oregon is TERRIBLE! nobody wants to move here. its an awful, awful place. really.

Its freezing temps at my house right now. awful.

gerold · #20 02/02/14, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErikaMay

No..no...Oregon is TERRIBLE! nobody wants to move here. its an awful, awful place. really.

Its freezing temps at my house right now. awful.

I love Western Oregon. Worked in the Portland area a few years. Great fishing area. Snowing here now spend the day keeping my road clear of snow. I like Mo but the winters are much better in Western Oregon.

Best,
Gerold.