If you have ever wondered how cow’s stay warm in the winter, here’s some info.
A cow’s normal average body temperature is 102 degrees, so they prefer temperatures between 40-60 degrees.
One of the amazing features of cattle is their hair coat. In the winter, cows thick skin and hair is a natural insulator that protects them from the bitter cold. Their hairy coat grows longer and thicker in the winter. When it snows, the hair catches the snow and forms a layer over the cow. This creates an air pocket between the snow and the cow’s skin, which is then warmed by the cow’s natural body temperature of 102 degrees. Isn’t that cool?!?! That’s how cows stay warm in the winter!
As we’ve mentioned, we make baleage in the summer and feed it to the cows in the winter, so they have plenty of food and don’t have to dig through the snow covered ground to find grass.
