Content
Cold housing 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 Russia in latitude. It follows that in the south of the Russian Federation it is also quite possible to keep cattle cold using Western technologies. Further north, the process will have to be slightly modernized.
Features of cold cattle keeping
Animals “originally” from central Russia are well adapted to the cold season. Cows descended from aurochs belong to the “cold-loving” species. They are not afraid of frost if they have food.
But when keeping cattle cold on farms, there are certain nuances. Herds of aurochs roamed over a fairly large area and went to sleep in a clean, dry place.
Domestic cows do not have this opportunity.But cattle produce manure in large quantities and at the same time it is liquid. When keeping a herd on a farm, the floor quickly becomes dirty and the animals lie in their own excrement. Feces stick together the fur, which no longer protects from the cold. Therefore, the main requirement for cold keeping of cattle is cleanliness.
In addition, there are other requirements for shelters for cows and calves:
- absence of drafts;
- hay ad libitum;
- possibility of active movement;
- deep and dry bedding, preferably straw.
The latter is especially difficult to achieve. Straw does not absorb liquid well, and the solid part remains on top, dirtying the animals. Therefore, the thickness of the straw layer on the floor when keeping cattle cold should start from 0.7 m. And every day it is necessary to throw fresh bedding on top.
Not a very good option for keeping cattle cold: the lack of an upper exhaust and the air supply from the ends of the hangar do not provide sufficient circulation; ammonia accumulates in such barns
Pros and cons of cold housing of cattle
When kept cold, contrary to some sources, the cost of milk does not decrease. Yes, the owner does not have to spend money on heating the premises, but he has additional expenses for bedding and feed. Other disadvantages include:
- additional costs for feed;
- possible frostbite of the udder;
- complexity of bedding arrangement;
- the need to keep the room clean and dry;
- the need to insulate water pipes to avoid their rupture in cold weather.
These disadvantages may not seem obvious, but they are there.
Cessation of growth and decrease in productivity due to lack of feed
In nature, animals stop growing in winter. They have to spend energy not on growth, but on heating. This point is partially preserved when kept at home. With a lack of milk in cold weather, the daily weight gain of calves is several times lower than it could be. Dairy cows, when there is a lack of feed, reduce their milk yield, spending energy on heating the body.
Frostbite
When dairy cows are kept in sheltered pens during extreme cold, their udders may suffer. In severe frosts, frostbite may also occur on the tips of the ears.
Litter
You can avoid frostbite if you make a “mattress” correctly. With a thickness of 60 cm or more, such bedding 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 replace the daily renewal of the top layer.
Benefits of cold storage
Despite all the disadvantages of this content technology, it may have more advantages:
- calves accustomed to cold grow healthier;
- an adult dairy cow raised using this technology gives more milk, she did not get sick as a calf;
- absence of Aspergillus fungus indoors;
- natural ventilation, independent of the presence of electricity.
Frost significantly reduces and sometimes completely stops the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. When keeping animals in crowds, this is an important argument in favor of “cold” technology. Subsequently, a cow that is not sick produces 20% more milk than one that was raised in a warm environment and suffered from “childhood” diseases. Therefore, the additional costs for feed and bedding are worth it.
The flow of fresh air along the entire long wall of the barn and the upper gap in the opposite wall allow cattle to feel comfortable in the cold season
Construction of boxes and feeding of calves in cold housing
Newborn calves are the most vulnerable to the cold, but in Germany they are taught to live outdoors from day one. Of course, the kids are provided with shelter. Moreover, all calf boxes are equipped with infrared lamps. If the animals start to freeze, the farm owner has the opportunity to turn on the heaters. Therefore, when raising cattle there is no particular saving on electricity.
An infrared lamp placed in the box during “cold” rearing of calves allows the farmer to insure against mortality among young cattle during abnormal frosts
Box equipment
Each calf is provided with a separate box made of windproof material. This is usually 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 Russia in snowy winter conditions.
Keeping a young animal locked in such a box around the clock is only possible 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. The box is placed on a stand, as it must have a grated floor through which urine will drain. The area for a cold calf barn should be either flat or sloped so that during rains and floods water flows from the boxes and not under them.
On it, slightly older calves should have the opportunity to run and frolic. In this way, animals warm themselves on cold days. A very small individual “walk” is unacceptable in Russian conditions. The almost motionless calf will quickly freeze. The option of placing a calf barn indoors differs little from keeping calves in separate stalls using “Soviet” technology. In this case, there is no point in redoing anything in an already established system.
A complete analogue of Soviet calf barns, but made 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 fur dries.
An example of improper cold keeping of young cattle is shown 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 - 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 flows through the cracks.
Feeding
The weight gain of calves directly depends on what part of the feed goes to “building” the body, and what part is used as energy for heating. And in any case, as the temperature drops, the daily increase decreases.
Daily weight gain for a calf weighing 45 kg when kept cold, depending on the temperature and amount of milk fed
If the goal of raising young cattle using “cold” technology is to quickly gain weight, it is necessary to drink more milk than when kept in a warm room. In winter, grown calves need more hay and feed. On particularly cold days, you may need 2 times more feed.
Cold keeping of dairy cattle
In fact, there is nothing fundamentally new about cold housing of dairy cattle. And today, most cowsheds in Russia are not heated. Cattle are kept in cold rooms. The temperature there is higher than outside solely due to the animals themselves.
But due to the size of cows and their high crowding, indoors are usually 10°C warmer than outdoors. For animals this is enough and no more is needed.
The disadvantage of Soviet-built barns is the exhaust ventilation on the ceiling and the supply of fresh air through doors at the ends. The windows were sealed tightly. Since people are cold in such conditions, the doors were usually kept closed in winter. As a result, moisture accumulated in the room and mold multiplied.
Modern cold barns require 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 eaves at a height of at least 1.5 m and openings in the wall. On the opposite side, a long gap is left under the roof through which warm air will escape. This design provides good ventilation and at the same time provides protection from wind and 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.You just need to cover the top part with film, leaving a large gap at the bottom for ventilation and feeders. The barn is positioned so that the open part is on the leeward side.
Cold keeping of beef cattle
Beef cattle do not have such a large udder, and they are not at risk of frostbite. Animals of this direction can be kept in tented hangars or under deep canopies. The latter should be fenced on three sides. A gap is made between the long wall and the roof to allow warm air to escape. They don't make a second long wall. Instead, a feeding area will be organized. In severe frosts, the fourth side can be covered with a removable banner. The remaining requirements are the same as for keeping dairy cattle.
Conclusion
Cold housing of cattle, when properly organized, 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, cattle will suffer from myositis and mastitis.
