Contents
Cold keeping of cattle is common in warmer western countries. There is experience of a similar method in Canada, which is considered a very cold region. The stereotype comes from the works of Jack London, since the “livestock” part of this country is located approximately at the level of the southern regions of Our Country in latitude. It follows that in the south of the Federation, cold keeping of cattle using Western technologies is also quite possible. To the north, the process will have to be slightly modernized.
Features of cold keeping of cattle
Animals “come” from Central Our Country are well adapted to the cold season. Cows descended from tours belong to the “cold-loving” species. They are not afraid of frost in the presence of food.
But with the cold content of cattle on farms, there are certain nuances. Herds of aurochs roamed over a fairly large territory and went to bed in a clean, dry place.
Domestic cows do not have this option. But cattle manure produces in large quantities and at the same time liquid. When keeping a herd on the farm, the floor quickly gets dirty, the animals lie down in their own excrement. Feces stick together wool, which ceases to protect from the cold. Therefore, the main requirement for cold keeping of cattle is purity.
In addition, there are other requirements for shelters for cows and calves:
- lack of drafts;
- plenty of hay;
- the possibility of active movement;
- deep and dry bedding, preferably straw.
The latter is especially difficult to provide. Straw does not absorb liquid well, and the solid part remains at the top, dirtying the animals. Therefore, the thickness of the straw layer on the floor with a cold cattle should start from 0,7 m. And every day it is necessary to throw fresh bedding on top.
Not a very good option for cold keeping of cattle: the lack of an upper exhaust and air intake from the ends of the hangar do not provide sufficient circulation, ammonia accumulates in such barns
Pros and cons of cold keeping of cattle
With a cold content, contrary to some sources, the cost of milk does not decrease. Yes, the owner does not need to spend money on heating the premises, but he has additional costs for bedding and feed. Other disadvantages include:
- additional costs for feed;
- possible frostbite of the udder;
- the complexity of the bedding device;
- the need to monitor the cleanliness and dryness of the room;
- the need to insulate water pipes to avoid their rupture in frost.
These disadvantages may not seem obvious, but they are there.
Cessation of growth and decrease in productivity with a lack of feed
In nature, in winter, animals stop growing. They have to spend energy not on growth, but on heating. Partially, this moment is preserved in the home content. With a lack of milk in cold weather, the daily weight gain of calves is several times lower than it could be. Dairy cows with a lack of feed reduce milk yield, spending energy on body heating.
Frostbite
In dairy cows, udders may suffer when kept in pens with shelters in extreme cold. In severe frosts, frostbite of the tips of the ears is also possible.
Mat
You can avoid frostbite if you correctly make a “mattress”. With a thickness of 60 cm or more, such a litter begins to rot at the bottom, creating an additional source of heat. But the “mattress” is made using a special technology, and it does not cancel the daily renewal of the top layer.
Benefits of cold storage
With all the shortcomings of this content technology, it may have more advantages:
- calves accustomed to the cold grow healthier;
- an adult dairy cow raised with this technology gives more milk, she did not get sick as a calf;
- the absence of aspergillus fungus in the room;
- natural ventilation, not dependent on the availability of electricity.
Frost significantly reduces, and sometimes completely stops the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. With crowded animals, this is an important argument in favor of “cold” technology. Subsequently, a cow that did not get sick gives 20% more milk than a cow grown in warmth and having suffered “childhood” diseases. Therefore, the additional cost of feed and bedding pays off.
The influx of fresh air along the entire long wall of the barn and the upper slot in the opposite allow the cattle to feel comfortable in the cold season
Construction of boxes and feeding of calves in cold conditions
Newborn calves are most vulnerable to the cold, but in Germany they are taught to live outdoors from the first day. Of course, babies are provided with shelter. Moreover, all calf boxes are equipped with infrared lamps. If the animals start to freeze, the farm owner has the option to turn on the heaters. Therefore, when growing cattle, there is no particular saving on electricity.
An infrared lamp brought into the box during the “cold” rearing of calves allows the farmer to insure against death among young cattle during abnormal frosts
Box equipment
For each calf there is a separate box made of windproof material. Usually it’s plastic. Depending on the climatic conditions of the region, such a stall can be equipped with a threshold that prevents snow from penetrating inside. This design is suitable for Canada and Our Country in snowy winter conditions.
Keeping a young animal locked around the clock in such a box is possible only if cattle are raised for meat
The exit is usually made facing the leeward side. But for this you need to check the wind rose in the area. Boxing is placed on a stand, as it should have a slatted floor through which urine will drain. The area under the cold calf should be either flat or with such an inclination that water during rains and floods flows from the boxes, and not under them.
On it, slightly grown calves should be able to run and frolic. In this way, animals bask on cold days. A very small individual “walk” in conditions is unacceptable. An almost motionless calf will quickly freeze to death. The option of placing a calf house in a room differs little from keeping the cubs in separate stalls according to the “Soviet” technology. It makes no sense in this case to redo something in an already established system.
A complete analogue of Soviet calf houses, but from modern materials – common conditions for keeping
A thick layer of straw is laid on the floor of the boxes to protect the calves from the cold. It is advisable to use lamps during the first hours after birth, until the coat dries.
An example of incorrect cold keeping of young cattle in the video below. Even the author himself admits that in the presence of such cracks and poor bedding, his calves are cold. In fact, such a canopy does not even meet the requirements for a shelter – a shelter from wind and rain for animals, which is installed in an “open field”. The canopy in the video is shallow and does not protect from precipitation. Cold air seeps through the cracks.
Feeding
Weight gain in calves directly depends on what part of the feed goes to the “building” of the body, and what is used as energy for heating. And in any case, as the temperature drops, the daily increase decreases.
Daily weight gain for a calf of 45 kg weight when kept cold, depending on the temperature and the amount of milk fed to drink
If the goal of rearing young cattle using the “cold” technology is to quickly gain weight, it is necessary to drink more milk than when kept in a warm room. Raised calves need more hay and feed in winter. On particularly cold days, 2 times more feed may be required.
Cold keeping of dairy cattle
In fact, there is nothing fundamentally new in the cold keeping of dairy cattle. And today, most barns in Our Country are not heated. Cattle are kept in cold rooms. The temperature there is higher than on the street solely due to the animals themselves.
But due to the size of the cows and their large crowding, it is usually warmer indoors than outdoors by 10 °C. For animals, this is enough and no more is needed.
The disadvantage of Soviet-built cowsheds is the exhaust ventilation on the ceiling and the supply of fresh air through the doors at the ends. The windows were sealed shut. Since people are cold in such conditions, the doors were usually kept closed in winter. As a result, moisture accumulated in the room, mold multiplied.
Modern barns for cold keeping suggest a slightly different design. The building is positioned so that the longitudinal wall of the barn is perpendicular to the main wind direction in the region. On this side, cracks are made in the cornices at a height of at least 1,5 m and openings in the wall. On the opposite side, under the roof, a long gap is left through which warm air will escape. This design provides good ventilation and at the same time provides protection from wind precipitation.
It is also possible to keep dairy cattle in cold hangars “without a fourth wall”, although it is more convenient to keep meat animals in such buildings. It is only necessary to cover the upper part with a film, leaving a large gap at the bottom for ventilation and feeders. The cowshed is positioned so that the open part is on the leeward side.
Cold keeping of meat cattle
Meat cattle do not have such a large udder, and frostbite does not threaten them. Animals of this direction can be kept in tent hangars or under deep canopies. The latter must be fenced on three sides. A gap is made between the long wall and the roof to let warm air out. The second long wall is not made. Instead, they organize a fodder zone. In severe frosts, the fourth side can be covered with a removable banner. Other requirements are the same as for keeping dairy cattle.
Conclusion
The cold keeping of cattle, with proper organization, allows you to maintain the health of animals and increase milk yield. Calves grow up strong and with good immunity. But if the cold keeping technology is not followed, the cattle will suffer from myositis and mastitis.