It’s official.
Officially cold.
A cut through me, freeze my nostril hairs, make my fingers and toes ache kind of cold.
On my drive to church yesterday morning, it wasn’t so much the slickness of the road or depth of the snow that made it a difficult trip. It was the 30 mph winds blowing so much snow through the air that I couldn’t actually see the roads.
No matter how hot or cold or rainy or windy it is, the heifers on the farm still need to eat! Long johns, fleece hats, and thick gloves make it pretty tolerable for us to be outside. I was surprised to see so much snow inside our sheds!
The wind was so ferocious that a lot of snow falling outside got blown full-force into the sheds. No solace here.
It’s human nature to feel sorry for these snow-covered ladies. But don’t be fooled! Cattle are not humans and don’t have the same ideal temperatures as we do. The ideal outdoor temperature for cattle is -5 to 18 degrees Celsius, which translates to 23 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that while we fed in 20 degree weather and I snapped this picture, our lovely Holstein ladies were still pretty comfortable. And when I’m outdoors loving the 80 degree weather, our heifers are a bit on the warm side– which is when we help make them comfortable with shade, fans, and sprinklers.
We do take some extra precautions when the thermometer dips below freezing. The heifer pens are kept extra dry with plenty of straw, we ensure the heaters in their waterers are working to prevent freezing, and make sure they’re eating plenty of grain and hay to make up for any extra calories they burn throughout the day keeping themselves comfortable.
Don’t feel bad for this poor guy either! He runs around enjoying the snow so much there’s no opportunity for him to get chilly. But like any farm dog, we make sure he’s got warm places to go during the brief periods of time that he’s not keeping himself warm with physical activity.
So as the winds whip across open fields, carrying clouds of snow and painfully cold wind chills, there’s no doubt in my mind that winter is here. I’m reassured that the heifers are comfortable regardless of my own complaints about the cold weather.
And there’s no doubt Max is happy between running sprints through the snow drifts, playing in the hay, and his naps inside the warm house.
My nephew Gus gives Max a big hug to share even more warmth, with love on top of it!
And Max gives warmth and love back to Gus.
We could all use a little warmth and love, ’cause Baby, it’s cold outside!
The Pleasant Farm 
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