If you have animals at the farm, then you have a huge responsibility to shoulder. The winter season can especially be very harsh for animals. As a farmer, it can seem quite challenging to provide for the animals in the best way possible. In this guide, Dax Cooke takes you through a few tips to help you care for farm animals in the winter.
How to Take Care of Farm Animals in Winter by Dax Cooke
With this valuable advice from Dax Cooke, you can do a better job at taking care of farm animals.
1. Provide them With Shelter
Spending cold, hungry nights outside the barn can make the animals fall sick. You have to make sure that you provide them with a safe space to stay where they can protect themselves from the cold weather and also stay safe from predators.
2. Provide Additional Insulation
In areas where the weather is too cold, you might even need to provide extra insulation for your animals if needed. You can add some extra hay around the pen, for example. If you have the budget, you could get a heater for them.
3. Provide Ample Water
To stay healthy, the animals need to have access to enough water to drink. In the winter, this can be very challenging. Try to make sure that dirty water is regularly replaced with fresh water so that there are no contaminants in them. Dehydration can be detrimental to animal health and can even lead to death eventually. As a farmer, it is your primary job to ensure that the farm animals have enough to sustain themselves well.
4. Ensure Dry Bedding
You need to make sure that their bedding is dry and clean. If they are made to sleep in damp conditions, they can fall ill, becoming prey to several diseases.
5. Focus on Exercise
The winter season can be an extra lethargic one for animals. You need to make sure that they get the exercise they need. This helps with optimal muscle health and also helps them remain active. Dax Cooke says that this is one of the most important things you should consider to help the animals get through this season in the best way possible.
6. Protect their Feet
When the ground is covered with ice, the animals might find it very hard to walk around. Their feet can suffer, and they might also feel extra discomfort when walking. To prevent this from happening, put on booties for your animals. You can also invest in some ice-melting products to help keep your animals up and running at this time of the year.
Final Words by Dax Cooke
As a farmer, these actionable tips by Dax Cooke on keeping animals safe during the winter season can be extra helpful. You need to ensure that the farm animals are well-kept during this season so that they don’t suffer from diseases. Understand that they depend on you for their survival.
