Preparing cows for winter

Now that the cows have been home for a while, it is time to check them to see if they are pregnant and prepare them for winter. We bring them in from the pastures and contain them in a corral. We will separate the cows from their calves to ensure that the calves do not get injured while we are checking the cows. Each cow has an ear tag with a number. As we are checking the cows to see if they are pregnant, we will record their ear tag number, apply the dewormer and do an overall health check. We apply a dewormer so that they are kept in the best condition possible throughout the winter. If they develop worms, they will not be healthy. As we go through this process we will know if we have been able to find and bring home all the cows that we took to the summer pasture. We keep very careful records of these cattle.

The Many Faces of Fall

Our summer and fall seasons are very short. Most of the days seem to be consumed by the spring thaw or the winter freeze. Right now, there is snow falling. This will be the third snowstorm indicating the winter season, however the first snowstorm came Labor Day weekend which is still considered fall! The second snowstorm on October 11, brought 6 inches which took 3 days to melt. It leaves us wondering which snowstorm will bring snow that does not melt, determining the true beginning of winter. This moisture is very good for the ground.

Our elevation is approximately 6,800 feet beginning where we live. Much of the time we have harsh weather due to the high elevation. There is a very short growing season to grow and harvest the native grass hay and the alfalfa. Alfalfa is a higher quality feed because it has a higher amount of protein that will give the cows and their calves more energy. When our hay fields have no snow on them, which is what we call "open fields", the cattle can graze on the leftover grass and alfalfa. We also have a lot of wind which makes it more challenging for us to protect the cattle. We have built snowfences and windbreaks to help protect the cattle and keep the snow piled in certain places. We also provide a barn so that when the cows or calves need extra care, we have a place for them to go. The cows are fed very well so that they can maintain their health in these harsh conditions. When the snow covers the ground in the winter time, Justin knows how many cows he is feeding and uses a ration formula to figure out how much feed they will need to keep them on a very healthy diet. This ration varies according to what the weather is like.

We have to rotate where the cattle are grazing depending on the water source that they have available for their needs. This is monitored very closely. We want to make sure that the calves are still gaining weight so they can be at an optimum health and weight when they are sold. We know that these cattle depend on us for all of their needs, therefore, we consider it a great responsibility to make sure that those needs are met.