Got to Wondering...

[Janet]

It's been so cold here the last few days and as I was driving my bus route I got to thinking about something I've never thought about before...... Do the horses or cows get cold when it's so darn cold? They stand right out there when the windchill was -15 degrees like it's nothing. I look at how narrow their legs get toward the hoofs and doesn't any part of them get cold?

[Marilyn]

Even here is S. Texas, we build cattle sheds which are usually long tin buildings with poles holding the roof up and one long open side. The cattle huddle together under the shed out of the wind to keep warm.

They eat more in cold weather, too, since they are burning so many calories maintaining their body temperature. I really feel sorry for the calves that are born when a cold wet norther is blowing.

We don't have much cold weather here, but when we do, and the wind is blowing, it's a cutting damp cold that really penetrates. I've been skiing in colder temperatures in New Mexico without a jacket on & been fine.

[Janet]

I don't see very many huddled together. They are standing right out in the middle of the fields grazing, not acting like the blistering cold wind affects them in any way. So as I was driving, I started wondering if they ever got that cold and if not, how they stayed warm. I know by the time the kids walk out of their house and to the bus their little faces are red and they act like they are froze for just being out in it for 60 seconds. The horses and cows stand out there all day.

[Marilyn]

Maybe someone else will have an idea. Like I said, they do huddle together here, and we take the feed out to them so they don't have to get out from behind the wind break. They do have to travel to get to water and we have to use an ax to break the ice on the water trough when it's really cold.

This may not even happen every winter here. It's a sporadic thing, and maybe we spoil our livestock because we humans think it is soooo cold. Yours may be tougher because they are accustomed to the cold where ours are more accustomed to the hot weather of summer.

Maybe Sheryl will have some insite since she raises horses.

[Janet]

That's a good point...some are use to it. Now we do have those open sided long pole buildings that they can get in to, but they are right out there in the open. I did notice the other day that whoever these horses belong to, they just stop in the road and throw the hay or straw whatever it is right over the fence. So they even eat out in the open.

SHERYL.......WHERE ARE YOU ????? Can you give some insight to my question since you have horses??

[Marilyn]

With cattle, we do have to move our feeding spots and try to stay down wind of the shed if it stays cold too many days. Cattle are so stupid. They poop wherever you feed them and they won't eat near their poop. So once you've fed them in one spot, you have to move next time to get away from the poo. Nasty creatures.