It’s not too early to prepare for winter. This week, we look ahead at a checklist to consider to be ready for winter. Many of these are typical preparations for the winter months, and some are of more significance this year.
1. Water is the most important of the classes of nutrients. A clean and abundant supply of water is critical for the health, reproduction and production of beef cattle. In a year when ponds are low, now is the time to be planning for your winter water supply. Evaluate your ponds or water sources now.
Whether it is pond clean out, installing automatic waterers or checking wells, windmills, etc., now is the time to take action before freezing temperatures are upon us. Most ponds are at low levels. Shallower ponds are more subject to freezing. Plan accordingly.
2. Secure your feed and hay supply. Even if we receive ample moisture before the first frost, we are running short on growing days for warm-season grasses. The warm-season forage base you have now is all you will have. As we move into the typical hay feeding season, demand (and prices) for hay (already scarce) will increase.
In a year like this, getting a feed analysis on your hay is more critical than ever. If you are buying hay, ask for the feed analysis before you agree to purchase. If your grass is short and hay inventory is low, you may need to cull.
3. Eliminating your cow inventory/culling may be necessary. In a year of record high hay and feed prices, keeping open cows and heifers around through the winter greatly diminishes the profit potential of your cow-calf operation.
Believe it or not, there are parts of the country not in drought. If you do some checking, it may be possible to custom graze your cows in other regions. If this is what you decide to do, don’t overlook the cost of trucking your cow herd to areas where there is grass. The trucking bill could exceed the grazing bill.
4. Repair or install shelters and windbreaks.
5. Monitor the body condition of your cow herd. The dry period is the most efficient time to put flesh and weight on cows that may have gotten too thin while raising a calf this past summer. Managing now for an optimum body condition score at calving next spring will pay dividends in future reproductive efficiency and getting cows bred back. — Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle breeding specialist
