Weather

In cold and windy situations, protection for livestock will reduce cold stress and aid in calving success and energy requirements.

Carcass weights are expected to be lighter for cattle hanging on the rail this year because of continued poor weather across many cattle feeding regions in the U.S.

Even with nighttime feeding, a few calves still will be born in the coldest nighttime hours. These wet newborns may become hypothermic or cold stressed.

For those that calve in January and February, the rapid changes in temperature may have played a role in calf sickness and growth. 

It is estimated that anywhere from 300,000 to 500,000 cattle were killed in Australia during what has been described as a once in a lifetime flood.

The climbing cattle inventory and poor feeding conditions this winter are having mixed results on the cattle market.

Cattle are generally doing fine in spite of the winter weather. Their rumens are keeping them warm, said Travis Mulliniks, beef cattle nutritionist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.

As livestock owners care for livestock in frigid temperatures, it is important to know where efforts are best spent.