Winter goes pretty quickly even though Mother Nature challenges us with extreme cold and snow. Any measurable snow makes it difficult to keep the farmyards clean for our team to get in and out. We own our own snowplows on the front of pickup trucks. In the winter, we also use our front loaders to not only feed the cows, but to move snow.
The animals are our first priority. The side curtains come down on our barn to keep the cows out of the wind, sleet and snow. Cows like cooler temperatures, but not the driving wind.
When our cows give birth, the calving team takes extra attention and care. It’s important to get the calf dried off quickly and into clean, fresh fluffy straw where they can nestle in and get warm. We put a calf jacket on them to help retain their body heat. We have dedicated staff to care for the calves and cows 24/7. We can’t forget that people are fighting the cold, as well. Their ambition and dedication to care for the calves goes above and beyond. They put the cow’s and calf’s needs ahead of their own.
Farms can’t close during a snowstorm. In extreme weather, I’ve had to go get staff to help get them here. Everything works well at zero degrees, but at 10 to 15 below zero, you have to be on your toes.