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Summarized by FWO from Graze-L
Folks,
Outwintering is the key to Low Cost Structure dairy farming because most of the investment in buildings can be eliminated. This unfinished article is a description and primer on Outwintering for dairy farmers who are practicing Intensive Grazing and Seasonal Calving in the cold land around the Great Lakes in North America. But most of this material could apply to Outwintering anywhere. Please suggest changes and inform me of omissions and errors.
There is a lot more material in the Graze-L archives that could be added to this document but I'm not going to finish it. I'm afraid of copyright violations. The harm (if any) is already done with regard to what has already been written, so I plan continue to make the following document available.
FWO
This article is a description and primer on Outwintering for dairy farmers who
are practicing intensive grazing and seasonal calving in the land around the
Great Lakes. But most of this material could apply to Outwintering anywhere.
Version 1.0 12/26/95
The following topics are addressed:
1) INTRODUCTION TO OUTWINTERING
1.1) High and low input graziers.
1.2) What is Outwintering?
1.3) What is the period of time that we are talking about?
1.4) Starting date of outwintering period.
1.5) Ending date of outwintering period.
1.6) Classes of cattle to outwinter
1.6.1) March calves
1.6.2) Bred heifers
1.6.3) Thin dry cows
1.6.4) Fatter dry cows
1.6.5) Cows in milk
1.6.6) Bulls and steers
2) HEALTH BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS OF OUTWINTERING
2.1) Comments from experienced graziers.
2.2) Are my cattle going to suffer from
Hypothermia, Frozen ears, Frozen feet or Frozen teats?
3) WEATHER PARAMETERS
3.1) % of days with frozen ground.
3.2) % of days of muddy conditions.
3.3) % of days that are dry and unfrozen.
3.4) Temp range during the day.
3.5) Wind variation during outwintering period.
3.6) Likely duration of storms.
4) MONITORING WEATHER AND MAKING DECISIONS ACCORDINGLY
4.1) Can I reach the animals after this storm?
4.2) Should I lay out several days feed at one time?
4.3) On extreme windchills feed twice a day instead once?
Increase the amount, etc...
5) HOOF DAMAGE OR PUGGING.
5.1) Definition of pugging.
5.2) Comments from experienced graziers.
5.3) Pugging as prepation for seeding.
5.4) How to mimimize pugging
5.5) What degree of pugging is acceptable?
5.6) Soil type effect on pugging.
5.7) Compaction vs pugging
5.8) Tractor damage while hauling feed.
5.9) When the frost comes out of the ground
6) PASTURE GROWTH RATES DURING THE WINTER
6.1) New Zealand compared to the Lake States
6.2) Does grass grow under the snow?
7) GRAZING DURING THE OUTWINTERING PERIOD
7.1) Rotation through all paddocks vs using one paddock.
7.2) Sacrifice paddocks.
7.3) Stockpiling
7.4) Grazing through snow
7.5) Grazing through ice
8) FEEDING GRAIN AND MINERALS
8.1) Delivery to the pasture.
8.2) On the ground
8.3) Under the fence
8.4) Off a wagon
9) EFFECT OF OUTWINTERING ON THE PEOPLE
9.1) Amount of work compared to barn wintering
10) ADVERSE EFFECT ON COWS
10.1) Effect of extremely cold temperatures.
10.2) Wet cold vs dry cold
10.3) Will cows lay down on frozen ground?
10.4) Effect of wind on cows.
10.5) Can I put coats on my cows?
10.6) Effect of Continous mud on cows.
10.7) Will cows lay down in mud?
10.9) What is worse? Mud or extreme cold.
11) WINDBREAKS
11.1) Problem of concentrating manure
11.2) Trees
11.2.1) Kinds of trees to use.
11.2.2) Summer aspects of winter tree windbreaks
11.3) Permanent structures
11.3.1) General construction
11.3.2) Materials
11.4) Temporary windbreaks
11.4.1) Temporary windbreaks made from bales
11.4.2) Temporary windbreaks made from snowfence
11.5) Corn as a windbreak
12) HOW TO FEED HAY WHILE OUTWINTERING
12.1) Unrolling big bales vs feeding in bale rings.
12.2) Wastage
12.3) Machinery investment in hay distributing equipment
12.4) Pre-placement of big bales.
12.5) Feeding under the fence.
12.6) Feeding small square bales
12.7) Problems with feed delivery
13) WINTER WATER
13.1) Frozen water bowls
13.2) Taking cattle to barn
13.3) Watering from streams
13.4) Zero water
13.5) Frequency of watering
14) FEED QUALITY FOR OUTWINTERING.
14.1) Maybe quanity is more important than quality.
14.2) Maybe quality is more important for Outwintering.
14.3) Variation according to class of cattle
15) DEALING WITH UNBELIVERS
15.1) What is the definition of "tolerable"?
15.2) Your spouse thinks they are too cold.
15.3) What to tell lenders.
15.4) What if the county agent is:
an anti-grazing, high input, barn feeder?
15.5) Animal welfare activists.
15.6) How can I tell if my cows are happy?
15.7) Logical answers to emotional accusations.
15.8) What do the neighbors think?
15.9) What does the law say about outwintering?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1) INTRODUCTION TO OUTWINTERING
The following is an E-mail message that I sent to Graze-L in December of 1995. I
believe that it is a fairly good introduction to the subject of Outwintering on
dairy farms in the land around the Great Lakes. It should get you in the mood to
think about winter.
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
As you know from earlier messages, we are planning to "outwinter" all of
our cattle for the first time this winter.
Tonight is a pretty good test, and that test has come fairly early in
the season.
I went down the lane this evening to feed grain to the March 1995 calves
with grave doubt in my heart as to the wisdom of outwintering. In fact,
I was out right fearful of what I would find.
It was 2 hours after dark, about 7 PM. (I'm writing this at 7:40 PM)
The weather conditions were 0 F (-18 C) with a wind speed in excess of
25 MPH (40 KPH). The National Weather Service is calling for a wind
chill factor of -45 F (-43 C) for Northern Ohio tonight. It's about as
nasty a winter night as Ohio provides. (It can get quite a bit colder
than 0 F (-18 C) but usually when it's very cold here, there isn't this
much wind.)
I had on my regular work clothes plus: leather boots, high top Tingley's
(gum boots), Bib overalls, a thick wool sweater, 2 hooded sweatshirts
(with both hoods tied up), leather gloves with heavy wool socks pulled
over them, and my knee length Outback coat topped of with my Driz-a-bone
hat tied down over the two hoods so they wouldn't blow off. Right
before I left the milking parlor, my daughter Andrea tied a wool scarf
over my face. I told her that "if I'm not back in half a hour, don't
bother looking for me".
It's 900 feet (275 meters) downhill, into the wind, to the pasture where
the calves are "outwintering". I was pushing a cart loaded with grain
(corn screenings). The cart is a garden cart with full sized bicycle
wheels. I hadn't gone 100 feet before the wool scarf tore away and
disappeared into the darkness and driven snow. Andrea will never see
that thing again. The Driz-a-bone hat was vibrating in the wind and
straining at it's moorings, but held.
The pasture that we selected for outwintering the March 1995 calves is
about 2 acres in size. It is bowl shaped with hills on 3 sides and an
open end to the North. A small crick (stream) flows across the open
end. The paddock is treeless with no natural or artifical windbreaks
other than hills.
We are feeding the calves 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of corn screenings
with all the excellent quality alfalfa hay that they can eat. I take
the grain down twice a day in the hand cart and feed it in portable
grain feeders. They don't eat the grain all at once. They come to the
feeder and eat grain many times throughout the day and finish the last
batch of grain just prior to the arrival of the next batch.
Hay is hauled down to the pasture about once a week and stacked on the
hills above the paddock just outside the single wire fence. The hay is
fed by throwing a bale over the fence. The bale rolls down the hill
(side of the bowl-like pasture). Wherever it stops, I open the bale and
throw the slugs in all directions so that no one can stand on someone
else's slug of hay while eating her hay.
There was enough moonlight tonight, so that as I came down the hill into
the bowl and descended below the level of wind-driven snow, the calves
came into view in the darkness while still several hundred feet away. I
was amazed and vastly relieved to see them laying down in a group just
as always. As I got closer, it was obvious that they were chewing their
cuds in a normal and relaxed manner. They seemed oblivious to the
howling wind and driven snow just a few feet above their heads.
Because they are full fed grain and hay, they weren't particularily
interested in my appearance with the grain. They didn't even bother to
stand up. In fact, none of them stood up until the puppy that was with
me zoomed through them a few times in an attempt to get them to play.
Some of them finally jumped up to chase the puppy, some of them just
stretched and stayed where they were, and a few deigned to walk over and
glance at the grain delivery in my cart.
Going back to the barn wasn't too bad. Even though I had to pull the
cart up hill for 900 feet, I had the wind to my back and the push of the
wind far exceeded the uphill drag of the cart.
I don't want anyone to misunderstand the conditions down in the calf
pasture tonight. It was extremely cold and very windy down in that
bowl-like paddock.
But it was tolerable.
And nothing like as cold and windy as on the high ground up around the
buildings.
By the way, the calves have hair about six to eight inches long. They
have a lot of width and depth of body and are mostly white, and kinda
fat. They look like big cotton balls or giant marshmallows. They are
very clean.
1.1) High and low input graziers.
From: knorek@msuces.canr.msu.edu
---------------------------------
...While outside overwintering of dairy cattle can be successful in
Michigan, some weather conditions can substantially reduce animal
performance. Any reduction in animal performance caused by a lack of
shelter must be carefully weighed against the capital cost of housing
and related operating costs (i.e. manure handling) which in many cases
may not be justified...
1.2) What is Outwintering?
xxxxx
1.3) What is the period of time that we are talking about?
xxxxx
1.4) Starting date of outwintering period.
xxxxx
1.5) Ending date of outwintering period.
The outwintering season probably ends when the pasture rotation is resumed in the
spring. So the question really should be: When can pasture rotation begin?
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
...am hoping for one inch of new growth by around March 28. We will put
the heifers out when we have that one inch. The milking cows should
follow 7 to 10 days later.
It is always possible that the grazier might end the Outwintering season at any
time by giving up in disgust. Of course, this would only be possible if a barn
was available.
I sometimes give up on Outwintering and put the cattle in the barn because of
prolonged rainy spells in the early spring.
1.6) Classes of cattle to outwinter
1.6.1) March calves
Seasonal calving dairy herds in the Lake States usually try to freshen the cows
in March (if all goes well with the annual rebreeding). Thus the youngest calves
on the farm in the Outwintering season are probably the babies born the previous
March, April, May or maybe June. (Seasonal calving advocates like myself use
poetic license and refer to all these calves as "March" calves.)
When May 25 comes around these calves have got to be big enough to breed. Which
means that they have to grow rapidly all winter. Here is the place to feed
your best hay.
This class of livestock should probably receive some grain. Remember that some
of these "March" calves were likely born in June. You may be ready to breed them
before they are a year old. In this case fast, expensive growth from grain may
make sense.
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
The pasture that we selected for outwintering the March 1995 calves is
about 2 acres in size. It is bowl shaped with hills on 3 sides and an
open end to the North. A small crick (stream) flows across the open
end. The paddock is treeless with no natural or artifical windbreaks
other than hills.
We are feeding the calves 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of corn screenings
with all the excellent quality alfalfa hay that they can eat. I take
the grain down twice a day in the hand cart and feed it in portable
grain feeders. They don't eat the grain all at once. They come to the
feeder and eat grain many times throughout the day and finish the last
batch of grain just prior to the arrival of the next batch.
Hay is hauled down to the pasture about once a week and stacked on the
hills above the paddock just outside the single wire fence. The hay is
fed by throwing a bale over the fence. The bale rolls down the hill
(side of the bowl-like pasture). Wherever it stops, I open the bale and
throw the slugs in all directions so that no one can stand on someone
else's slug of hay while eating her hay.
1.6.2) Bred heifers
xxxxx
1.6.3) Thin dry cows
Last winter, I wrote to Graze-L complaining that some of the dry cows seemed too
thin and got this reply.
From: Linda Carr tlbdt6@taranaki.ac.nz (New Zealand)
-----------------------------------------------------
The problem that you mention regarding the failure of the heifers to
compete with the cows is the reason that we winter in two mobs.
also
From: <tlbdt1@taranaki.ac.nz> (New Zealand)
-------------------------------------------
...Most farmers split the herd in two in winter. One mob of older and
better conditioned cows. The other mob is the younger lighter condition
cows.
Probably the thin dry cows should be separated out and fed the best hay
available. It might be wise to allow them a bit of leeway on cleaning up their
hay. In other words, don't make them eat every shred of hay before they are
allowed to have a new big round bale.
They don't necessarily need grain to gain weight. Last winter, my thin dry cows
gained weight with top quality hay and no grain.
I can't see that the thin dry cows need any extra protection from the weather.
Here is a message from Graze-L indicating th eamount of dry matter fed to dry
cows in New Zealand:
From: <tlbdt1@taranaki.ac.nz>
----------------------------
NZ Holstein Friesians are usually between 400 and 500 kgs in liveweight.
In winter they are fed 7 to 8 kgs of drymatter. On a grass system we
aim to hold their body condition or put a little weight on them. Our
Jersey cows weigh between 350 and 400 kilograms. In winter Jerseys are
fed 5 to 6 kgs drymatter.
1.6.4) Fatter dry cows
These guys can eat the rougher hay. It probably won't hurt them if you want to
get tough and make them clean up every bit of hay.
1.6.5) Cows in milk
xxxxx
1.6.6) Bulls and steers
xxxxx
2) HEALTH BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS OF OUTWINTERING
2.1) Health related comments from experienced graziers.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
We wintered outside last winter for the third season, first time with
all animals (cows, heifers, calves; we are seasonal with march/april
calving).
...some things still need refining and working out, but I can say
already, herd health is better than in confinement and it sure beats
setting up an expensive facility.
From: kc5555@aol.com
---------------------
Our dry cows, bred and open heifers spend the winter outside behind a
permanent wind break in set winter paddocks. ...This system works well
for us. The cattle are very healthy and happy.
From: rogersjj@ext.missouri.edu
--------------------------------
...cattle are a lot tougher than what we tend to give them credit for
including dairy cattle. I think you will find that you will have less of
a disease problem than confined or inside.
From: Ron Parker rbparker@henning.cfa.org
------------------------------------------
When I lived in Wyoming 20 years ago a new cattle man (from Florida)
bought an area ranch and brought in a bunch of expensive bulls. He was
convinced that they would all freeze to death in spite of what everyone
told him. He had a bunch of small shelter sheds built with one open
side facing downwind to the prevailing west winds off of the mountains.
With the first snow, a drift built up on the downwind side effectively
blocking most of the free air circulation. The bulls huddled in the
shelters, and the guy lost every single one - 100% - to respiratory
problems. Cattle on surrounding ranches were in the open all winter
with the usual positive outcome.
The weather described in your Ohio area is positively balmy compared to
W. Minnesota where our sheep are out all winter with zero adverse
effects.
From: Tom Cadwallader tkcadwal@mail.wiscnet.net
------------------------------------------------
I began a pasture lambing/outside wintering flock at the UW-Spooner
Research station in 1980 and followed them along until I left in 1986,
set up an outside flock when I went back to the Detroit area for a
couple of years, and for the past seven years my wife and I have built a
pasture based system similar to what I began in Spooner.
I began in the livestock industry with a "got to get 'em in" mentality
and prided myself on everything I learned on keeping critters alive.
Most of what I learned I've forgotten, because I usually buy a 250 ml
bottle of LA-200 every year for insurance purposes and end up throwing
it, or giving it, away to one of the neighbors. Nearly every disease I
learned how to fight was a product of confinement conditions. Everything
from coccidiosis to pneumonia. I have not treated an animal for
pneumonia in 7 years in our pasture group.
...A local veterinarian/hereford breeder quit bringing his cattle up to
the barns a couple of years ago and has reduced both health problems and
birthing problems because the animals are out working more to eat thus
keeping in better condition.
2.2) Are my cattle going to suffer from
Hypothermia, Frozen ears, Frozen feet or Frozen teats?
So far, no one has told us that these problems are any more likely than with
conventional barn wintering. All these things do happen sometimes with barn
wintering and probably with Outwintering. But, I haven't yet had any of these
problems occur on my farm in association with Outwintering.
My worse personal experience of this kind came many years ago on February 17th.
Seven of my cows had frozen teats while housed in a well managed free stall barn.
Every one of them eventually was sold for beef. I believe that the direct cause
was freezing of teat dip on they walked from the milking parlor back to the barn.
The same day a neighbor had 27 of 42 cows with frozen teats in a mis-managed
free stall barn. He was ruined financially by those frozen teats and had to take
a job driving a truck.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
Overall we experience much better herd health. No more respiratory
diseases, once in a while a frostbitten teat, but we had more stepped on
teats before in the stanchion barn.
3) WEATHER PARAMETERS
3.1) % of days with frozen ground.
xxxxx
3.2) % of days of muddy conditions.
xxxxx
3.3) % of days that are dry (little or no pugging) and unfrozen.
xxxxx
3.4) Temp range during the day.
From: Dr Hough Glenys glenysh@agby1.agric.wa.gov.au (Western Australia)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Although the temperatures in WA are mild in winter (daily max only as
low as 14 Celsius), it is windy. With dry matter contents in annual
pastures of only 10-15% cows need to be encouraged to graze as long as
possible and not spend time with their heads together trying to stay
warm.
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
It was 2 hours after dark, about 7 PM. (I'm writing this at 7:40 PM)
The weather conditions were 0 F (-18 C) with a wind speed in excess of
25 MPH (40 KPH). The National Weather Service is calling for a wind
chill factor of -45 F (-43 C) for Northern Ohio tonight. It's about as
nasty a winter night as Ohio provides. (It can get quite a bit colder
than 0 F (-18 C) but usually when it's very cold here, there isn't this
much wind.)
3.5) Wind variation during outwintering period.
xxxxx
3.6) Likely duration of storms.
xxxxx
4) MONITORING WEATHER AND MAKING DECISIONS ACCORDINGLY
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
...It is a system, that needs constant monitoring: Where is the wind
coming from, is a snow storm forecasted, etc and adjustments need to be
made continously. Flexibility is essential.
4.1) Can I reach the animals after this storm?
xxxxx
4.2) Should I lay out several days feed at one time?
xxxxx
4.3) On extreme windchills feed twice a day instead once?
Increase the amount, etc...
xxxxx
5) HOOF DAMAGE OR PUGGING.
5.1) Definition of pugging.
This is from the dictionary program on my computer:
pug n.
1. Clay ground and kneaded with water into a plastic consistency
for forming bricks or pottery.
2. A machine for grinding and mixing clay.
pug tr.v. pugged, pugging, pugs.
1. To work or knead (clay) with water.
2. To fill in with clay or mortar.
Just for the heck of it, I also looked up "poach":
poach v. poached, poaching, poaches.
1. To become muddy or broken up from being trampled. (Used of land.)
2. To sink into soft earth when walking.
-tr.
1. To make (land) muddy or broken up by trampling.
I guess that pugging and poaching are about the same thing.
From: Michael Hansen hansmail@taranaki.ac.nz
---------------------------------------------
Pugging is a relative term. I am not aware of any official definition
but would say it is generally an undesireable happening. You would not
want to pug a wheat or barley crop as you would damage its yield. The
same applies to a high quality pasture.
...It is necessary to carry out controlled pugging ... to retain highly
productive species and maybe introduce seed of improved species.
xxxxx
5.2) Comments from experienced graziers.
From: Dr Hough Glenys glenysh@agby1.agric.wa.gov.au (Western Australia)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
With our high winter water table, hoof damage is highly undesirable.
Average pasture growth rates during winter are 20-40 kg DM/day/ha. If we
get a really cold period pugged pasture take forever to recover. In the
case of the heavy soils walking on these paddocks when putting out the
electric fence is hard on the ankles and as for making silage and hay
later in the year you need good suspension on your tractor!
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
------------------------------
I was interested in the New Zealand rule of thumb that hoof prints more
than 1 inch are too deep. On this farm, I consider 1 inch deep hoof
prints to be almost normal except in the middle of the summer. And that
includes right over the tile lines. Despite this apparent abuse, I
believe that the internal drainage of our soil is better every year
because of substantial increases of organic matter and earthworm
populations.
From: knorek@msuces.canr.msu.edu
--------------------------------
...allowing cows to pug a pasture before freezing weather results in a
pasture full of craters that, once frozen, make it difficult for cows to
traverse and makes for a bumpy tractor ride when unrolling round bales.
5.3) Pugging as prepation for seeding.
From: Linda Carr tlbdt6@taranaki.ac.nz (New Zealand)
-----------------------------------------------------
The winter ... has been quite nasty with record rain fall, pugging was a
problem, but the worst paddock will be turned in a turnip paddock and
then new grass for next season.
5.4) How to mimimize pugging
Seems that in New Zealand they sometimes stand the cows in a concrete lane or
other concrete area (the milking parlor holding area?) to prevent pugging.
From: <tlbdt1@taranaki.ac.nz> (New Zealand)
--------------------------------------------
Cows only go on concrete in very wet weather, 4 to 6 hours (of grazing)
then onto concrete for the rest of the day. Farmers prefer to do this
for short periods only as it stresses the cows. But cows recover from
this stress faster than damaged pasture. Cows may only go unto concrete
1 or 2 days a week. Alternatives used include free draining silt or
sand soils, sawdust and bark standing pads, or sacrifice paddocks.
Over night cows will prefer not to lie down. Continuous wet weather
provides problems with cows getting stressed being on the concrete.
Dairying in NZ is on the better drained soils so cows may only be off
the paddocks 10 to 20 nights in a winter.
From: Linda Carr <tlbdt6> (New Zealand)
-----------------------------------------
This November we had a lot of rain over short period. On one Tuesday we
had 4" over 36 hours and the following Tuesday we had 2" in 24 hours,
but our cows never leave the paddocks. Some neighbours put the cows on
the farm races (tracks), for half the day, and others put them in the
cowyard at the milking shed.
...This year we have put a crop of Turnips in a paddock that need some
remodelling and because of the unusually wet days we sacrificed this
paddock, allowing the cows to plow it up.
From: Peter Aldridge peter_da@postoffice.utas.edu.au (Australia)
------------------------------------------------------------------
>On walking/pugging damage during winter. I understand that one
>approach to rationing out fall-accumulated grass during winter is a
>one-hour "break" followed by 23 hours in drylot with no further
>supplemental feeding. I am assuming that the cows are then rather
>well motivated to EAT when they get out to the grass. Does this
>reduce walking time/pugging damage while they are actually on grass?
>Any quantifiable relationship between level of hunger and time spent
>grazing vs. walking about on the grass?
In my experience, 1 hr is not enough. 4-5 hrs is ok, then get them off.
They can't eat enough in one hour to get enough energy from winter grass
to survive without supplementation, here anyway. It does reduce pugging
remarkably. One problem with leaving them on wet & pugged areas is that
(if cows are forced to stand, rather than lie down, which they won't if
it is too wet,) it costs them energy, and they will loose weight when
you want them to maintain or put on weight.
From: knorek@msuces.canr.msu.edu
---------------------------------
...annual crops can be complimentary to a cool season pasture system by
serving as a "sacrifice area". This protects the perennial pasture from
being damaged by providing an ... alternate area ... when pasture
"pugging" would damage the perennial sod.
5.5) What degree of pugging is acceptable?
From: Michael Hansen hansmail@taranaki.ac.nz
---------------------------------------------
As a rule of thumb if the hoof prints are over an inch deep, that is too
much.
If you find it difficult to restrict damage to this level then some
drainage will be beneficial. Or you may consider standing your stock off
the pasture as soon as grazing is complete.
From: Michael Hansen hansmail@nzonline.ac.nz
---------------------------------------------
...We have research to show that winter pugging damage considerably
reduces pasture's subsequent production.
There are however circumstances where it can be justified.
(a) Where you want to get rid of undesireable species such as fescue or
yorkshire fog.
(b) Where you want to introduce new species by seeding from hay fed on
the area or sowing some ryegerass seed just before removing the stock.
(c) Where you intend to cultivate for a crop ... you can sacrifice the
pasture.
Note in NZ we encourage ryegrasses by intensive treading in dry
conditions as it is more tolerant of this than any other species.
5.6) Soil type effect on pugging.
From: Michael Hansen hansmail@nzonline.ac.nz (New Zealand)
-----------------------------------------------------------
The clay soils ... are impossible to prevent being damaged in
wet conditions when stock are on them, however well they are drained.
In some areas of NZ with these type of soils we build feeding platforms
so we can remove stock from pastures to prevent pugging. This is mainly
carried out when stock are not milking and they are fed mainly hay or
silage. Some farmers remove stock as soon as thy have eaten their grass
ration and in extreme conditions will do this to milking herds despite
the immediate loss in production. This is all to preserve the future
productive ability of the pastures. These activities are common to most
farms in the Hauraki Plains a low lying area of marine clays in the
Eastern Waikato...
5.7) Compaction vs pugging
xxxxx
5.8) Tractor damage when hauling feed
It seems to me that the tractor used to haul the feed to the cows in wet weather
usually does more damage to paddocks than the cows feet. A very fortunate farmer
would be on a soil type underlaid with gravel. Here in Ohio an example of such a
soil would be Wooster Silt Loam. Farmers with this soil type can drive a tractor
out on the land right after a rain and hardly make a track. Maybe graziers
should seek out farms with at least some very well drained soil for Outwintering.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
...in spite of about 1.5 inches of new growth we obviously have to feed
the cows still twice the day with the tractor. ...the tractor is just
wrecking lanes and compacting paddocks in the wet weather.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
What is necessary ... is ... to put the animals on concrete during thaw
and/ or heavy spring rains. We feed all forage with a NZ - made
tractorpowered roundbalefeeder right in the paddock, and in those
conditions the tractor is just doing too much damage.
5.9) When the frost comes out of the ground
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
The most difficult time is when it is wet in the fall and esp. in the
spring, when the frost comes out of the ground: We always have to drive
into the paddock to feed. We use "sacrifice paddocks" then, but plan a
concrete holding aerea with fenceline feeding.
6) PASTURE GROWTH RATES DURING THE WINTER
6.1) New Zealand compared to the Lake States
From: <tlbdt1@taranaki.ac.nz> (New Zealand)
-------------------------------------------
In winter we grow between 10 and 15 kgs of drymatter per hectare per
day. The average farmer winters 3 cows per hectare. About 2/3rds of the
cows diet in winter comes from grass...
Seems like they do a little better than that over in Western Australia. But they
might be irrigating to get this kind of winter growth:
From: Dr Hough Glenys glenysh@agby1.agric.wa.gov.au (Western Australia)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average pasture growth rates during winter are 20-40 kg DM/day/ha.
The grass sometimes grows a significant amount in Ohio during the winter. In
December of 1994 we had an average of 2 inches of growth over the entire farm.
It doesn't seem like much but it translated into many hundreds of dollars in
savings of hay purchased. It was also of much better quality than any hay that I
could buy.
I believe that the grass usually grows a little bit in every month of the winter
in Ohio.
6.2) Does grass grow under the snow?
xxxxx
7) GRAZING DURING THE OUTWINTERING PERIOD
7.1) Rotation through all paddocks vs using one paddock.
xxxxx
7.2) Sacrifice paddocks.
xxxxx
7.3) Stockpiling
xxxxx
7.4) Grazing through snow
xxxxx
7.5) Grazing through ice
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
Northern Ohio weather took another bizarre twist today. Sunrise saw
heavy rain on the snow at -6.6 C. The roads glazed over instantly wit
the result that schools were closed all over the area. No cow could have
stood up outside here this morning. The dog got spreadeagled out in the
middle of the driveway and had to be rescued. I couldn't even stand up
on the porch...
This can happen without warning but I don't believe that it is a safety concern
for outwintering cows with no access to concrete. Cows on sod should punch
through the ice to firm footing with each step. Cows that have access to concrete
will be in danger of splitting. Grazing might be impossible if the ice is too
thick but hay intake should be unaffected.
8) FEEDING GRAIN AND MINERALS
8.1) Delivery to the pasture.
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
We are feeding the calves 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) of corn screenings
with all the excellent quality alfalfa hay that they can eat. I take
the grain down twice a day in the hand cart and feed it in portable
grain feeders. They don't eat the grain all at once. They come to the
feeder and eat grain many times throughout the day and finish the last
batch of grain just prior to the arrival of the next batch.
8.2) On the ground
xxxxx
8.3) Under the fence
xxxxx
8.4) Off a wagon
xxxxx
9) EFFECT OF OUTWINTERING ON THE PEOPLE
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
...All groups come once a day to the cow yard for water and grain.(which
can be a real chore in high snow drifts)
9.1) Amount of work compared to barn wintering
From: "harley troester" troester@facstaff.wisc.edu
---------------------------------------------------
Thankfully we only had one drinking cup freeze during the latest cold
snap, but it took a good hour or more to pump the water out of the barn.
Of course on a Sunday morning. So many joys we have with milking during
the winter makes you wonder how it ever got started?
10) ADVERSE EFFECT ON COWS
10.1) Effect of extremely cold temperatures.
From: "harley troester" troester@facstaff.wisc.edu
---------------------------------------------------
..The cattle actually seem more content on a sunny below zero F. day
than they do on a 30 degree F day with wet conditions...
10.2) Wet cold vs dry cold
From: rogersjj@ext.missouri.edu
--------------------------------
...The only concern I would have would be with a wet hair coat in low
temperatures. Maintainence requirements will greatly increase and you
may have to accept a little lower animal performance during these times.
I thing that once this period is over, cattle will compensate. I would
look for animals that appear to be overly stresses during this time.
From: "harley troester" troester@facstaff.wisc.edu
---------------------------------------------------
...Most of the time that we have these severe temps and wind chills it
is dry cold air and not as hard on livestock as wet, cold wind...
10.3) Will cows lay down on frozen ground?
Mine do. If the chill factor is extremely low, We sometimes spread around a
little extra hay for them to lay on.
10.4) Effect of wind on cows.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
...continous mud and cold weather with the high winds. I am learning,
that high winds make the cows more uncomfortable than anything else.
10.5) Can I put coats on my cows?
Yes! I don't think that it is necessary here in Ohio but apparently it is being
done in New Zealand. My cows would probably eat them, rub them off on a tree or
stick their legs out through and rip them to shreds. I can imagine what the
other dairy farmers would say if I decide to try this. They would have some
colorful remarks.
I don't know if these coats are commercially produced or must be homemade. I'll
try to get more details and add this information to the next version of this
document.
From: Linda Carr tlbdt6@taranaki.ac.nz
---------------------------------------
Because we have Jerseys, we put covers on any who are older, or for some
reason look like they could benefit from a cover in the winter. The
covers are made of a very thick hemp type sacking with a 6" piece of
industrial elastic across the front and a clip at the back. They were
made by a neighbour and I treated them with Metel-X and Ketosene to
preserve them.
I know we don't have the cold snow etc here but Rahotu is the windiest
place in Taranaki, with cold southerly winds coming straight from the
South Pole, when mixed with rain, I can clearly identify with your
description of spreading effluent a while back. We have noted those with
covers tend to stay feeding all though the worst weather while those
without seek shelter. About 1/3 get covers, pays to be nice to the
bosses at handout time. We have a neighbour who puts covers on his
Freisians.
10.6) Effect of Continous mud on cows.
xxxxx
10.7) Will cows lay down in mud?
xxxxx
10.9) What is worse? Mud or extreme cold.
xxxxx
11) WINDBREAKS
11.1) Problem of concentrating manure
xxxxx
11.2) Trees
xxxxx
11.2.1) Kinds of trees to use.
xxxxx
11.2.2) Summer aspects of winter tree windbreaks
xxxxx
11.3) Permanent structures
xxxxx
11.3.1) General construction
xxxxx
11.3.2) Materials
11.4) Temporary windbreaks
11.4.1) Temporary windbreaks made from bales
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
...we provide for calves and heifers a windbreak made from roundbales in
the wintering paddocks, but I am not sure that is necessary.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
We rotate the groups through the paddocks and on real blustery days use
paddocks with windbreaks, either natural or made from two layers of
roundbales(wind chills up to -60 F in Wisconsin are not uncommon)...
11.4.2) Temporary windbreaks made from snowfence
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
...I thought of a possible improvement that I could make in their
paddock with very little cost using material already at hand. I'm
thinking of wiring three 16 foot (4.7 meter) gates together at the ends
to make a triangle. I am thinking of placing this triangle in the
center of the calf paddock and stretching plastic snow fence around it
with rubber canvas straps. In theory, it should provide at least some
windbreak effect regardless of wind direction.
From: "E. Ann Clark" aclark@crop.uoguelph.ca (Ontario)
-------------------------------------------------------
You will probably hear more about this from Cornell, but I took some
grad students down there a few years back to look at their year-around
sheep grazing system (accelerated lambing; no supplement apart from 6
weeks post-lambing, if I recall; and no water), involving two, 400-ewe
flocks at two different elevations. Grazed rotationally, with 3-day
moves.
Their "windbreak", which moved with the ewes, was a stretch of
snowfence arranged in a circle, fixed to the ground with some sort of
portable posts. The circle might have been 50' in diameter (or less,
guessing from pictures), and the ewes would line up behind it in a
great long file which shifted laterally as the wind shifted...
11.5) Corn as a windbreak
The following proposal seems like it would work. You would have to be willing to
break up the existing sod, willing to take the land out of production for a long
time, and have access to machinery. If you wanted to reseed a paddock to a new
species of grass, this could be a excellent immediate step.
From: knorek@msuces.canr.msu.edu
---------------------------------
...paddock would be planted to corn and allowed to mature in order to
provide a standing windbreak and winter forage. By controlling cow
access to the standing corn with moveable polywire fencing, a "moveable
windbreak" could be created making it possible to feed hay next to the
standing corn, advancing the cows onto clean ground as the season
progressed. This would facilitate even manure distribution and enhance
cow cleanliness.
12) HOW TO FEED HAY WHILE OUTWINTERING
12.1) Unrolling big bales vs feeding in bale rings.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
There is no easy solution, unless you commit yourself to the Roundbale
system. There are various unrollers out there(cheapest around $500), but
the problem is, that the forage lays on the ground as a thick mat and
you have too much waste and smothered out sod.
Round bale feeders offer an inexpensive way to address the waste
problem, but even on hard frozen ground (which in your aerea probably
never exists) you loose the sod around the feeder, even if you move it
every 24 hours (about 30 calves feeding on it).
So we opted for a New Zealand made bale feeder, which after some start
up problems works really nice: It is selfloading and you can take up to
two bales at a time. It feeds the bale out in a 2-3 ft wide swath,
fluffed up, which really encourages intake. Waste is minimal (about 10%
the most) and we found no difference feeding under a wire or in the open
paddock.
It takes labour and fuel ... and on days with windchills of - 30 F it is
not exactly a fun way of doing chores. The most problematic time, is
late fall and early spring, when it is wet. We are planning a concrete
fencelinefeeding for that period of the year, because we do too much
damage to the pastures, esp. when the frost comes out of the ground. It
still beats building a $250000 facility for our 150 head of Dairy
cattle...
12.2) Wastage
From: "Harley Troester" troester@facstaff.wisc.edu
---------------------------------------------------
The past two years we have fed round bales of hay. We have an unroller
which attaches to the 3-point and we unroll the bales in different
paddocks around the farm. This works fairly well but we also are
concerned about the wastage.
From: "Harley Troester" troester@facstaff.wisc.edu
---------------------------------------------------
We have not yet found a good system of feeding hay to cattle during the
winter. Presently we have a bale unroller on the back of our tractor
that is ground driven and we unroll the bales out in the paddocks.
However, we feel the cattle are wasting too much.
From: "harley troester" troester@facstaff.wisc.edu
---------------------------------------------------
We feed our round bales with an unroller on the 3-point of the tractor
much the same as your Udy. This is fed in the paddocks, but not under
the wire. Harley has his eye on a New Zealand round bale feeder though.
He doesn't like how his present unroller feeds in a mat and the cows
like to lay on it.
12.3) Machinery investment in hay distributing equipment
xxxxx
12.4) Pre-placement of big bales.
From: ecarlson@aol.com
-----------------------
This is our first year for feeding large round bales to the heifer and
dry cow parts of the dairy herd. We have 5 paddocks of various sizes,
3/4 to 1 acre. Every 10-14 days we place three big bales in each
paddock, and move cattle and bale rings every two to three days,
depending on consumption and weather. Grain and minerals are fed under
the fenceline. The bale feeders ran us about $130 each USA money, and
have been well worth the investment. Next year the plan is to arrange
all the bales in a large area like a checker board and move the wire
every few days to behind the foremost row, sticking the fencepoles (5
footers) into the next row of bales. Put rings on the 'exposed' bales,
and let the heifers eat. It is so **EASY** and low cost compared to the
labor of square bales and tie stall barns.
12.5) Feeding under the fence.
From: battissr@snymorva.cs.snymor.edu
--------------------------------------
We had fairly good luck this fall feeding round bales using tumblewheels.
We unrolled the round bales by hand behind the row of tumblewheels.
The heifers were made to reach under the polywire to eat, thereby
minimizing trampling. The tumblewheels were rolled back occasionally as
required to give the heifers more feed.
This next farmer was feeding a TMR under the fence but his method should work
just as well for hay. It sounds like he ran the TMR off onto the ground well
away from the cattle and then moved the fence.
From: David Weaver <dweaver@cce.cornell.edu>
--------------------------------------------
Gary Burley a WNY (Western New York) dairyman fed heifers under a break
wire last winter. The heifers did well. He fed a TMR once per day. Then
moved the wire about 25 ft. each day to the feed. We figured that there
was about a 10% feed loss. Last winter was quite mild for WNY. He plans
to feed heifers on pasture again this winter.
12.6) Feeding small square bales
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
Hay is hauled down to the pasture about once a week and stacked on the
hills above the paddock just outside the single wire fence. The hay is
fed by throwing a bale over the fence. The bale rolls down the hill
(side of the bowl-like pasture). Wherever it stops, I open the bale and
throw the slugs in all directions so that no one can stand on someone
else's slug of hay while eating her hay.
12.7) Problems with feed delivery
13) WINTER WATER
13.1) Frozen water bowls
From: kc5555@aol.com
---------------------
...We buried a water line down 6 feet (our winters can be awful here in
Wisconsin) and use Richie electically heated waters. Even with our
relatively mild winter one water froze up on us and still hasn't thawed
out.
13.2) Taking cattle to barn
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
...All groups come once a day to the cow yard for water and grain.(which
can be a real chore in high snow drifts)
13.3) Watering from streams
xxxxx
13.4) Zero water
xxxxx
13.5) Frequency of watering
xxxxx
14) FEED QUALITY FOR OUTWINTERING.
14.1) Maybe quanity is more important than quality.
xxxxx
14.2) Maybe quality is more important for Outwintering.
From: "altfrid krusenbaum" akrusenb@facstaff.wisc.edu
------------------------------------------------------
Unlike many seasonal advocates I believe, to make this system work, you
need top quality forage or you loose too much condition.
14.3) Variation according to class of cattle
15) DEALING WITH UNBELIVERS
15.1) What is the definition of "tolerable"?
xxxxx
15.2) Your spouse thinks they are too cold.
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
This year is my first attempt at "outwintering"....I haven't any worries
about the cattle doing well outside but I am concerned about the
reactions of the people in the community.
Unexpectedly, the first hurdle was my wife, Jackie. For some reason, I
had failed to communicate the concept of outwintering. She had a lot of
worries about how they would get along out in the cold. After talking
it all through, her main concern turned out to be my plans for providing
water.
15.3) What to tell lenders.
xxxxx
15.4) What if the county agent is
an anti-grazing, high input, barn feeder?
xxxxx
15.5) Dealing with animal welfare activists.
What to say to these people? I don't know of any documentation with regard to
animal health and Outwintering. Here is a message from Ann Clark who recognizes
the need for such information.
From: "E. Ann Clark, Associate Professor" aclark@crop.uoguelph.ca
------------------------------------------------------------------
Graziers: we are interested in exploring the potential for extending
the grazing season on into the fall and winter here in Ontario. This
raises a number of questions, of which I'll start with one pertaining
to animal health/welfare. Prior to undertaking this direction, I'd
like to compile a lit rev or position paper on the health/welfare
ramifications ...
The interest in this information is two-fold: first, to ensure that
prevailing conventional wisdom is sound - namely, that animals
maintained outdoors are at least as healthy, and perhaps moreso, than
those fed in confinement through the winter months; and second, to
prepare for anticipated criticisms from both the Animal Care people
here on campus (whom we have to satisfy before undertaking this
program) and other groups such as the Humane Society.
15.6) How can I tell if my cows are happy?
If they are fairly clean, have full bellies and are chewing their cuds then they
are happy.
15.7) Logical answers to emotional accusations.
Frequently animal welfare activists ignore logical arguments. Well documented
information on the health benefits of Outwintering may not be the proper response
to an emotional attack. I'm not above countering an emotion attack with a bit of
the same.
From: F. W. Owen fwo@bright.net
--------------------------------
I don't believe we are going to experience much success using logic.
When people question me on wintering outside, I go into the following
act. If they have read "Clan of the Cave Bear" and "The Mammoth
Hunters", they will generally come right on over to my side of the
issue. And even if they haven't, this usually works. It gets more
effective every time I practice it.
When the subject comes up, I pause dramatically and intone:
"COWS ARE ICE AGE ANIMALS."
Then another pause, while the "Mammoth Hunters" readers make the mental
leap themselves.
I then describe the mile high face of the glacier, and paint a picture
of the vast herds of ancestral cattle grazing the endless, frozen dry,
winter plains of ice age Europe. I describe huge expanses of dry
standing hay, on a immense scale, against a background of frozen rivers,
with the ice towering in the distance.
I mention the thick coats of the ice age animals and cite other
adaptation to incredible cold that makes our current northern winters
seem mild by comparison.
I always end by describing the inevitable rise in humidity in winter
houseing that virtually eliminates the natural insulating valve of baby
calve's hair coats.
If done properly, you will have people looking at you in awe, and
sighing from the beauty and wonder of it all.
This works a lot better on city people, than on old farmers. It also
works better than any attempts at logic.
15.8) What do the neighbors think?
Don't worry much about what the neighbors think. Usually they just think that
you left a gate open.
15.9) What does the law say about outwintering?
xxxxx