::: Ask the Mahoning Valley Farmer :::

Answers From Your Friendly Farmer

Question: My neighbors leave their cows and horses outside all year long. Don’t the animals get too cold?

Mahoning Valley Farmer Answer:
One thing to remember is that cattle and horses lived in the wild for many years before they became domesticated. All animals feel the cold just as we do. They use different techniques to keep from freezing, like turning away from the cold wind, and using groups to help stay warm.

Three things are needed for animals to survive in cold weather. First, they need shelter to protect them from the cold winds of winter. In the wild, animals will find valleys or canyons to get out of the wind. Woods also provide animals shelter from the wind. If you have to keep your animals in an open pasture, a three-sided building with a roof would be adequate.

Second, cattle and horses have to be fed more when they are kept outside than if they were housed in a barn. Nature has designed the inside of cattle and horses to withstand the cold. Cattle and horses are grazing animals that fare best if there is a small amount of food constantly being processed by the digestive system. As the gut digests the fiber in the diet, heat is generated, contributing body warmth, even in freezing temperatures.

Animals who live outside all year need to be fed about 15% to 20% more than livestock kept in a barn. Since cows eat about 90 pounds of food a day per cow, that's an additional 13 to 18 pounds of food per day. By feeding high-quality hay, keeping a close eye on their health, and making sure that the food and water supplies are adequate, most animals will actually be healthier.

Third, adequate water supplies are crucial to the health of animals, especially those that are kept outside year round. Today's domesticated horses are more prone to impaction colic in the winter. This is due to the fact that they are often confined to stables in inclement weather and receive less turnout and exercise, while still receiving a full grain ration. The fact that horses often drink less in winter, when the water is at or near freezing, increases the chances of colic. One of the most natural ways to help an animal keep warm in the winter is to allow him access to good quality hay and water.

Finally, livestock animals are well equipped to deal with temperatures way below the human comfort zone. Often owners will arrive at the barn, bundled up in layers of clothing, to find their animals frolicking in the snow quite oblivious of the sub-zero temperatures. When the days shorten, the "hair factor" kicks in. Sudden cold temperatures such as a cold front will prompt cattle and horses to start producing a winter coat. Shorter days and a couple of cold fronts are enough to convince an animal’s body that it's time to don the winter woollies. Their winter coat differs from their summer coat in that the hairs are longer and coarser. Horses and cattle are able to fluff up their coats, making the individual hairs stand up and trap air close to their bodies, insulating them from the cold. The additional oil which accumulates in their thicker coat, especially in pastured animals, gives them just the additional insulation they need.

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