Farmers are being reminded to relocate cows into sheltered pasture as cold fronts continue to sweep across the state.
Agriculture Victoria Livestock Industry Development Officer Nick Linden said the impact of cold weather can severely affect cows.
“It is important to keep an eye on the forecast weather conditions and if possible, move cattle into sheltered paddocks or those with windbreaks. This will reduce the impacts of chill by keeping animals out of the wind and give a better return on supplementary feeding,” he said.
“Lighter cows will suffer more from cold stress than fatter cows. We really need to look out for the lighter cows.”
Lighter cows affected by the cold can have severe consequences, such as weaker calves being born in the spring, poor joining rates for autumn calvers, and high rates of mortality.
“Managing lighter condition cows separately, using sheltered areas of the farm, knowing the energy and protein of the supplements being fed, and monitoring fat scores of stock through winter are all important ways to minimise the impacts of cold weather on your stock, especially for animals in lighter condition as a result of the late autumn break experienced in many parts of the state,” Mr Linden said.
