Winter weather across the Midwest is prompting added management and safety precautions for livestock producers.

University of Illinois beef cattle management specialist Dan Shike tells Brownfield layers of ice and snow coupled with freezing temperatures and high winds can take a lot of energy out of your herd, which might require more feed or a more energy dense ration. 

“When it is this cold and we have cattle exposed to elements like wind and damp conditions we can have energy requirements increase by as much as 25% so we certainly need to take that into consideration when we are providing feed for these cows.”

He reminds farmers they need to take care of themselves in this weather too.

…