Winter has moved in with full force. We are all feeling the chill and already hoping for spring. The blankets have long been pulled out of the cupboards, in some cases most unceremoniously so. Getting into bed at night feels like a weight lifting competition as we keep piling on the layers. Mothers and wives alike are cooking soup and other comfort foods left, right and centre and we all look little Eskimos when we leave our homes.
Our livestock however are build for the outdoor life so one could be forgiven for thinking that they should be just fine during these harsh times but unfortunately this is not so. They too get cold, need extra nutrition, and if not seen to correctly it can result in them getting sick or even worse. This in turn can have devastating financial effects on the farmers.
So how do we ensure that our livestock are happy and healthy during the winter months?
Firstly it is important to know that when winter is here is not just about the cold. Even with Sutherland in the Northern Cape Provence being one of the coldest areas in South Africa with temperatures dropping to as low as -20°C, the drop in temperature in itself is one thing but the grazing field quantity and quality that the livestock dwell in decreases dramatically. Which could result in conditions such as Cold Stress which in turn effects the next seasons reproduction rate and the quality of offspring. This is where all our winter preparation comes into practice.
We all know that roughage is the main feed component for cattle and sheep and the nutritional levels in the grass has now reduced as a result of the seed production and the natural veld is very low on vitamins, proteins and minerals. As animals burn energy much faster in winter they can eat up to 25% more during the winter months as they need more energy to sustain their basic bodily functions in cold weather therefore it is important to maximise the fiber digestion of your animals.
High protein licks can be used to help supplement these missing nutrients and help to improve digestion of dry natural grass which leads to a higher intake of grazing and supplementation of the animal's energy needs. Remembering that these licks are only a supplement and not a feed replacement.
There is also the subject of water, just because its winter doesn’t mean your animals will require less water intake than they do in summer, so it is important to ensure that there is always clean and unfrozen water available for your animals. The availability of sufficient clean drinking water will help prevent illnesses such as colic or impaction.
Mud getting trapped in your livestock’s coat and hooves is inevitable as where you have animals there is going to be mud. Cold mud and water trapped in their coats can cause respiratory illnesses and skin irritations which too can cause the animal undue stress. The mud trapped in their hooves can cause threats such as foot rot which is one of the main causes of lameness in animals. Trying to vary the location of feeding and watering sites daily can hep reduce the mud build up.
We at Stutt Trading are here to assist you and should you require any more information please feel free to contact us.