The bitterly cold temperatures combined with snow and ice are putting more cold stress on cattle.
Purdue University animal science professor Ron Lemenager says the more the air temperature declines, the more energy – or calories- cattle need. “If you have cows with a dry winter hair coat, and they are in good body condition, the energy requirement goes up by 13 percent for every 10-degree drop in wind chill below 30 degrees Fahrenheit,” he says.
