Winter Storms: Prepare Home
Prepare farm, livestock, pets for storm
As you cover plants and water pipes in preparation for freezing temperatures, remember to protect outdoor animals and equipment against the cold, too.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension experts say providing shelter for outdoor animals (cats and dogs) is a must. It may be tempting, but bringing your outdoor pets inside can actually do more harm than good.
It's a lot like when we get sick when the temperature is 70 one day and 30 the next. The drastic change in temperature can make them sick, too — especially when they go from 30 degrees outside to 70 or even 80 degrees inside your house.
Use common sense
Overall, extension specialists say use common sense when protecting your outdoor animals from freezing temperatures. If it drops to zero outside, you are going to have to provide a way for your outdoor animals to stay warm.
If an early winter storm arrives, additional warmth may be needed for livestock and outdoor pets that have not developed normal winter coats.
Farmers should make sure their pastures include a wooded area where cattle can seek shelter. Surprisingly, UGA experts say when snow falls on cattle, it can help keep them warm. When a snow pack forms on their backs, it creates a form of insulation.
A shelter would be ideal for cattle and other large animals, but it's not feasible for most cattlemen. When a farmer has 100-plus mama cows, he realistically does not have a barn large enough to hold them all.
More food and water
UGA experts say cattle eat more feed during cold weather to create internal energy. For this reason, farmers should feed cattle 50 percent more than normal.
Cattle and other livestock have to have water in winter, too.
Of course, they can't drink ice. Should your animal water trough freeze, specialists say break the ice layer to help the ice melt more rapidly. You can break through the ice layer, too, by pouring hot water over the top.
A smaller trough will freeze quicker than a larger trough. If you don't like the idea of having to break the ice in your trough, water heaters are available from area feed-and-seed stores.
Secure equipment
Secure farm equipment and lightweight machinery to prevent heavy winds from blowing them onto other equipment or structures and causing damage. Check seals and external gaskets on doors and equipment.
High winds can force rainwater into tiny cracks and areas where water can cause rust or other damage. Blowing rain can wet equipment under shelters, so cover them, as well.
Source: Wes Smith, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension