Well, it feels like we just wrapped up a cold spell, with at least 4 days of below-freezing temps throughout the state, but it looks like another bout of Frigid temps is on the way. According to State Climatologist Gary McManus, we can expect highs in the teens and 20s, lows in the single digits, and wind chills below zero. This next storm is set to arrive this weekend.
McManus says the wind chill will be brutal on Monday.
McManus says Temperatures will do ok after the cold snap, “but this cold snap will be enough to last awhile. There will be a chance for light snow, but nothing like the last two storms. The fun arrives Saturday morning.”
So bundle up and take precautions now with this latest Winter Weather on the way. To see more from Gary McManus on his daily ticker, click here:
These tips are being offered by OSU Extension in preparation of the cold weather;
OSU Extension cold-weather recommendations include:
- Make sure cattle have access to as much hay as they want to eat. Ruminal fermentation helps keep the animals warm. Hungry cattle do not create as much heat from fermentation.
- Provide feed concentrate supplements every day, if possible.
- Feed cattle beside or in a grove of trees or some other windbreak that is large enough for all the animals gathered. The better the windbreak, the lower the animal’s cold stress.
- If there is no natural windbreak available near a water source, a quick and simple one can be made by placing a line of round bales of straw or low-quality hay where cattle can bed down.
- Ensure cattle have unrestricted access to unfrozen water. If water intake is limited, hay intake is reduced and ruminal fermentation is affected.
- Feed cattle relatively close to their water source, if possible. Cattle naturally want to stay out of frigid winds. The farther away the water source, the longer they will wait to get a drink.
Cattle will eat snow to meet their water needs. However, it takes time for livestock to learn this strategy. The learning curve can result in physical distress.
