As the weather gets cooler, Penn State University Extension says it’s never too early to start getting the farm ready for winter. Every farm is different and may have to do different things to get ready for winter. If this winter is the worst in years, is your farm ready for snow piles on top of the barns? Frozen water tanks? A lot of ice? Here are a few things to remember when getting the farm ready for winter:
1. Create a list – You can stay on track with to-do lists.
Writing down a list of the things that need to be done can be a good way to get started, especially if farm workers or several family members are helping get ready for winter. Setting deadlines for when that task needs to be done can also be helpful.
2. Barn maintenance: You’ll be glad you fixed things that needed to be fixed now instead of waiting until it gets cold.
Check the side wall curtains for holes that need to be fixed and make sure they work right.
Find and fix any holes or broken windows in the metal siding that could let snow, rain, ice, or wind in.
Make sure that every door works, even the garage door.
At least twice a year, ventilation fans should have their blades and louvres cleaned, and any loose belts should be tightened or replaced.
When there is a lot of snow or ice, it is important to check the roof for weak spots like holes or cracks.
If your herd grazes, make sure they have a shelter that is the right size so they can get out of the wind and bad weather and stay clean, dry, and comfortable.
Trees near houses, barns, fences, or driveways may need to be trimmed as a safety measure.
3. Water is one of the most important nutrients, even when it’s cold.
Look for hoses, floats, or water lines that could cause ice to build up and may need to be fixed.
Make sure that the heated waterers and water heating elements still work. Be careful with the electrical cords and make sure the animals can’t get to them.
If heated waterers or water heating elements are not used, there needs to be a plan to make sure that animals of all ages always have clean water to drink.
4. The calf pen, heifers, and cows need to be clean, dry, and comfortable.
Around 32°F, cows can start to feel the effects of cold stress, which, like heat stress, can hurt their performance.
Maternity pens should have good bedding so cows don’t have their babies in a muddy, wet, or cold place. They should also be protected from draughts.
At 59°F, heifers can start to feel stressed from the cold, so if they are kept on pasture, they need a place to go to get out of the wind and weather. Make sure to put a thick layer of straw under the shelter so that the heifers can nestle in and stay warm.
If the pasture is really muddy and wet, it might be best to keep the heifers in the barn for a few days so that the pastures don’t get damaged. If the pastures are muddy, you should always have a plan for where to house the cattle.
If you keep heifers in a sloped-pad heifer barn or a bedded-pack, you will need to add more bedding in the winter to keep the heifers clean, dry, and warm.
Cows and heifers that don’t do well can be picked out by looking at their body condition and hair coat. In cold weather, animals need more calories to keep their bodies warm, so the amount of food they are given may need to be increased.
Move calf hutches to a place that is out of the wind and snow so that snow doesn’t get inside.
Have enough clean calf jackets ready to go for all the calves that are drinking milk.
Calves are more sensitive to temperature drops, so they need extra bedding to curl up in to keep their body temperature at a healthy level.
5. Check and prepare farm equipment. You’ll be glad you did this on a cold Monday morning when the tractor starts on the first try.
Before winter, check all of the farm’s vehicles and tools: Check the tyres, fuel level, oil, antifreeze, and batteries.
Test and fix generators so they are ready to go if the power goes out.
Make sure all the snow removal tools are in good shape and ready to use.
6. Do maintenance on your driveway and barnyard to avoid mud holes in the spring.
Pick up and move everything out of the way so the snow can be removed.
When the snow melts, it can be helpful to put gravel in places where potholes tend to form on driveways and sidewalks.
If it rains in the spring, it can help to fill in places in pastures that usually turn into mud holes.
7. Stock up on supplies. Have enough of all the essentials to last for two weeks.
On the farm, there should be plenty of places to sleep. Cows, heifers, and calves need more bedding to stay warm and dry.
As the temperature drops, animals need more energy to stay warm. For calves that are getting milk, adding more milk or milk replacer may be needed to keep a healthy daily average gain. For heifers and cows that are getting older, feeding them more grain, forages, and hay can help them get the extra energy they need. Keep enough feed and forage for two weeks in case feed trucks can’t get to the farm because of bad roads.
Colostrum or colostrum replacer that has been frozen can be helpful to have on hand.
Keeping a few warm blankets and heat lamps in the barn will help a newborn calf get warm quickly.
It’s important to have enough fuel for at least two weeks in case the roads are bad and you can’t get to a gas station.
Don’t forget to make sure everyone is warm! Make sure you have a lot of warm winter boots, socks, gloves, hats, winter jackets, and hand and foot warmers.
Plan for emergencies: it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Do you have insurance in case a building falls down because of the weight of snow? Talk to your insurance company to find out.
Do you have a plan with the milk hauler for what will happen if the roads are bad and the milk can’t be picked up for longer than usual?
Think about what could go wrong when it’s very cold or snowy, and come up with a plan to avoid extra stress.
Having a winter preparation checklist can help you make sure you’ve done everything on the farm to get ready for the cold weather. This is a general list of things to do to get a farm ready, so it will need to be changed to fit your farm.
