Producers should help reduce the effects of cold stress on livestock in next few days. 9:27 am, Feb. 4, 2021 ×
Cattle experience the effective temperature, which includes air temperature, humidity and wind chill. Courtesy / NDSU Extension
During the fall and winter, cattle typically adapt to cold temperatures by growing a longer, thicker hair coat, which provides more insulation.
However, many cattle have not had an opportunity to fully acclimate to cold weather this year due to unseasonably warm conditions and an open winter, according to Janna Block, Extension livestock systems specialist based at North Dakota State University’s Hettinger Research Extension Center. This can reduce the animals’ ability to tolerate cold, even on a short-term basis.