Cold Stress in Calves and Cows

Cold alone is rarely the problem for a healthy, well-fed cow with a dry winter coat. Wind, wet, hunger and newborn calves change the picture fast, and a little planning goes a long way.

Key points

Wet coats and wind do more harm than cold air alone.
Plan extra energy in the ration with a nutritionist's help.
Windbreaks, dry bedding and drained ground help cattle cope.
Newborn calves need colostrum and quick warming; call the vet if chilled.
Keep water open and electrical equipment safe.

Why wet and wind matter more than the thermometer

A dry, thick winter coat insulates well. Soak that coat with rain, sleet or wet snow, or add a strong wind, and the insulation collapses. Cattle then burn much more energy to stay warm, and the effective cold is far worse than the air temperature suggests.

That is why a cold, dry day may be easier on cattle than a cool, wet one. Check the wind and the moisture, not only the number on the thermometer.

Calves born in wet cold need extra attention, so look at your calving timing and shelter each year and ask whether a later calving window would make your life easier.

Feeding for cold weather

Cows need more energy when the weather turns hard. If energy intake does not rise, they lose condition, which hurts rebreeding and late-gestation health. Ask a nutritionist or extension specialist to help you adjust the ration for your forage and your cows. Do not guess at amounts.

Increase feed ahead of a storm when you can, since fermentation of roughage produces heat and keeps cattle warmer. Make sure all animals, including shy and young cows, can reach feed.

Ask your nutritionist how to handle hay quality in cold snaps. Poor roughage fills the belly but does not meet energy needs, and a test tells you what you really have.

Shelter, bedding and windbreaks

Cattle do not need a heated barn, but they do benefit from a windbreak and dry ground. Natural cover like tree lines and terrain can help, and so can constructed windbreaks. Bedding gives a dry place to lie and reduces heat loss to cold or muddy ground.

Mud is a problem of its own, since it soaks the coat and wears animals down. Keep feeding areas, gates and water points as well drained as possible.

Remove wet bedding as it fouls and replace it. A dirty, soaked pack stops insulating and starts spreading disease.

Windbreak that blocks prevailing winter wind
Dry, bedded lying area for calves and cows
Drained ground around feed and water
Ice-free water at all times
Extra feed ahead of storms

Newborn calves

Newborn calves are the most vulnerable because they are small, wet at birth and have limited reserves. A calf that does not get up, nurse and warm up quickly is in danger. Colostrum, the first milk, supplies energy and protection, so make sure each calf nurses soon after birth.

Calve cows in a place where you can check them often, such as a sheltered pasture or a clean lot. Have a plan and a phone number ready for the vet. If a calf is chilled, call your vet right away for guidance, since warming a calf the wrong way can do harm.

Water and frozen ground

Cattle drink less when water is icy or far away, and low water intake cuts feed intake. Keep tanks open, use heaters made for livestock where electricity is available, and inspect electrical equipment for safety. Follow manufacturer instructions and electrical safety guidance, since stray voltage and damaged cords are real hazards.

Walk ice and frozen ground carefully. Slips injure people and cattle.

Signs of trouble in cows

Watch for cows that are shivering, standing hunched, slow to rise, losing condition or hanging back from the herd. Frostbite on ears, tails and teats can follow wet cold, especially in newborn calves.

Call the vet for any animal that seems depressed or down. Treated animals must be held for the withdrawal time on the label or from your vet.

Keep a record of any frostbite or chilling cases, with the date and weather, so you can improve shelter or timing next winter.

Common mistakes

Many problems come from waiting for the storm to arrive before acting, ignoring mud and wet, not checking calving cows often enough and letting water freeze. Build a winter plan and review it with your vet and nutritionist before the first hard cold.

When to get help: Ask your nutritionist to adjust winter rations, ask your vet for a calving and chilled-calf plan, and call the vet immediately for any calf or cow that is down. Follow manufacturer and electrical safety guidance for water heaters.

Sources and further reading

Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.

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