Winter Prep Strategy for 4H Livestock Projects

As the winter storm watch is heading our way the next 3 days, make sure you are keeping 4-H projects healthy. Most animals are well adapted to living outside, so for them the cold doesn’t feel the same as to you or me. However, cold temperatures do require additional animal monitoring.

Follow these few steps to make sure your 4-H projects are healthy this winter.

1. Make sure animals have plenty of fresh air. Although it seems natural to close all the barn doors in the winter, similar to how you seal your house up tight, remember animals are different. To help keep them healthy and prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses, make sure you have adequate ventilation.

2. Water, water, water! Whether providing water in a bucket, tank or automated system, it is important to check the water each day. If you are like many farms, you have probably experienced a frozen water tank or two. That is why it’s important to check the water supply every day: realizing the issue and reacting to it are essential in keeping animals healthy and on track for market or reproduction. No matter what the temperature, make sure the water you are providing your animals is clean and easily available in adequate amounts.

3. Know what is in your feed! Knowing the contents and the quality of the feed you are offering to animals is essential in making sure they have adequate nutrition to meet their energy requirements. Researchers at Oregon State University mention the “lowest critical environmental temperatures for livestock vary according to species and researchers, but 20 or 32 degrees Fahrenheit are often used as the lowest temperature dry livestock can tolerate without additional energy demands to support normal body temperature.” Paying attention to the amount of feed consumed as well as the temperature is important in keeping your animal on track!

4. Pay special attention to young and new animals. Younger animals and especially newborn animals are more susceptible to the cold weather. When new animals are born, make sure they are dried off in a reasonable amount of time. Additionally, remember how crucial it is for animals to receive their first milk, colostrum. If transporting new animals to your farm, make sure you minimize the amount of stress they will encounter as well as provide adequate dry, minimal dust bedding to help reduce the effect of winter chill.

5. Check daily under those blankets or covers on your sheep and goats. Not looking at them for many days could result in skin health issues if you are not checking. (Ie- ringworm, lice, mites, etc)

Be Very Cautious with Heat Lamps

Some people like to utilize a heat lamp to help keep their projects warm on really cold nights. If you do this, remember to safely and properly use the heat lamp for your projects. It is extremely important that you keep the heat lamp a safe distance away from bedding and coats to prevent a fire or burning the skin. You also need to place the heat lamp so that your projects can’t reach it and chew on the electric wire or the lamp itself. Please be very careful when using these lamps!

Temperature and Comfort Zone

Understanding what temperature ranges pigs find comfortable can help keep your animal comfortable this Winter.

• Lower Critical Temperature (LTC) is the temperature below which a pig expends extra energy to try to stay warm.

• Upper Critical Temperature (UTC) is the temperature that pigs start having heat stress.

• The Thermo-neutral zone, or Comfort Zone, is the temperature range in between LTC and UTC.

• Thermal environment is created by the temperature, moisture, and airflow/wind interaction. Wind/draft, moisture, and age of animal influences the comfort zone.