snow angels

By Ted Howard, Production Animal Consultation

What do you like the best about wintertime? I posed this question to my sometimes factual friend, Google. You can imagine my amusement when the top six items of the article “Things That Make Winter the Best Season of All” 1 were snow angels, sledding, holiday lights, cozy fires, warm socks, and hot cocoa.

Since I spend most of my time in feedyards throughout the country, my first thoughts on wintertime went a different direction. In the past few years, I have submitted articles for the winter edition of Protein Producers magazine to cover precarious ground conditions, proper shoeing, and the need for increased water intake in our horses and cattle, as well as proper winter clothing options for ourselves. As I studied my past articles in relation to the list of “Things That Make Winter the Best Season of All”, I discovered some correlations.

1. A snow angel is a design made in fresh snow by lying on one’s back and moving one’s arms up and down and one’s legs from side to side, to form the shape of an angel. Bovine “snow angels” can be seen in the feedyard when we get our cattle up when riding pens. I cannot stress enough the importance of getting cattle up and moving them to evaluate their health. Not only do we develop better health in our cattle, we create better conversions.

2. Sledding is fun on a toboggan or behind a team of Belgians pulling a sleigh. Sledding is not quite as fun horseback in an icy pen or back alley. Proper shoeing of your horse is very important during the wintertime months. Rim shoes are appropriate for dry, hard surfaces that include icy ground conditions. Toes and heels are better for muddy conditions. The right horseshoes will help prevent injury to your horse and yourself.

3. Holiday lights can be seen throughout the winter, as we normally start and end our day in the dark. Remember, when we are horseback, we can be hard to see from a feed truck or vehicle. It is important to stay focused on safety, as our attention can be consumed battling the harsh weather elements.

4. Cozy fires bring a sense of warmth. It is very important to stay warm while working outside during the wintertime. Taking a break and getting away from the cold helps you to stay focused on the health of your cattle. You do a better job of stockmanship and horsemanship when you are not cold. Taking breaks to warm up also allows your equine partner a break from the poor ground conditions.

5. Warm socks are very important on both lists. Having the right clothing in cold temperatures makes your day in the feedyard more enjoyable. Walking pens in frigid temperatures is also a good way to keep your feet warm and allows your horse a break from uneven, frozen terrain. Once again, it is very important to get each animal up and moving, even when you are walking your pens.

6. Hot cocoa is nice, but I am more inclined for a cup (or five) of coffee. Staying hydrated is important. Hydration for our horses and cattle is also critical during cold weather to help maintain their body temperatures. Keeping our tanks clean during these cold months is not as pleasant a job as it is in July, but it is still necessary for the health and well-being of our cattle.

I was not going to mention the seventh item of the article “Things That Make Winter the Best Season of All” as it was winter brews. It seemed more appropriate for a different type of article. However, after the year of 2020, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of 2021 with a toast of whatever “winter brew” you enjoy.

1 https://www.redfin.com/blog/26-things-that-make-winterthe-best-season-of-all/