Winter Feeding Angus Cows: Body Condition, Energy and Cold

Winter is when a cow herd's year gets decided. A cow that goes into winter in good condition and is fed properly through cold months calves easily, milks well and breeds back on time. A cow that slides into thin condition pays for it in weak calves, late breeding or open cows next fall. The cure is not complicated, but it takes planning: know your cows' condition, know their energy needs and feed accordingly.

This guide covers body condition scoring, how cold weather changes energy needs, hay and supplement basics and the common mistakes. Angus cows are generally efficient, moderate-framed and well adapted to forage-based systems, though individual herds differ. Work with your county extension agent or a nutritionist to fit the numbers to your cattle and your feed. If you want to find winter feeding meetings near you, agriculture.directory can help you find agriculture events in your area.

Start With Body Condition Score

Body condition scoring is a simple way to measure fatness on a scale of 1 to 9, where 1 is emaciated and 9 is obese. Extension programs commonly recommend that mature beef cows be around a 5 or 6 at calving, and first-calf heifers slightly higher, because condition at calving influences milk, rebreeding and calf health. Scoring means looking at and feeling the ribs, backbone, hips and tail head. Programs such as Nebraska Beef and University of Minnesota Extension offer pictures and guides, and learning to score your cows is worth an hour of practice.

Score cows in fall, mid-winter and before calving. If you find thin cows in the fall, you have time to fix it. If you find them in January, you have less room.

How Cold Changes Energy Needs

Cows burn extra energy to stay warm when temperatures fall below their comfort zone. Extension sources often describe a lower critical temperature of around 32 degrees Fahrenheit for a cow with a dry, heavy winter coat, with higher values for a wet or thin coat. Below that, energy requirements increase, with commonly cited rules of thumb that a cow needs roughly one percent more energy for each degree below the critical temperature, though sources vary. Wind, mud, rain and snow can make the effective temperature much colder. A dry, winter-coated cow with good condition handles cold better than a wet, thin one.

This is why a cold snap can strip condition quickly if you do not respond. Cows may need more feed, better-quality feed, or both.

Know Your Hay

Hay is the base of most winter rations, and quality varies. The only way to know what you have is to test it, sampling several bales and sending core samples to a lab for protein, energy and moisture. A cow in mid-gestation can often do fine on moderate-quality hay, but a cow in late gestation or early lactation needs more energy and protein. If your hay is low in protein or energy, a supplement may be needed. Resources such as the Beef Research site share summaries of nutrition research.

Supplement Wisely

Supplements can fill gaps, but they cost money and should match a need. Options include protein cubes or cake, grain or byproduct feeds, liquid supplements and mineral. A nutritionist or extension agent can help you balance rations using your hay test and cow condition. Avoid overfeeding, which wastes money and can cause problems, and make sure shy or younger cows can get their share at the feed line.

Minerals and Water

Free-choice minerals designed for your region help meet needs for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium and other nutrients. Cows also need plenty of clean water, and in cold weather they may drink less if water is icy or hard to reach. Reduced water intake reduces feed intake. Use heated waterers or break ice regularly, and make sure there is enough space for all cows to drink.

Shelter, Wind and Mud

Windbreaks help cows conserve energy, and a dry bedding area helps keep the hair coat dry and insulated. Mud is a hidden feed thief, since cows in deep mud burn extra energy walking and trying to keep warm, and they waste feed that falls in it. Where possible, feed on well-drained ground, rotate feeding locations and use feeders to reduce waste. Farm.fm has a nice overview in its page on nutrition essentials for Angus herds.

Feed Changes Through the Winter

• Early to mid winter, mid-gestation. Cows in good condition may need only maintenance feed, with extra for cold.
• Late gestation. The fetus grows quickly, and energy and protein needs rise.
• After calving. Lactation raises needs the most, since milk production takes a lot of energy.
• Young cows. First- and second-calf females are still growing and need more.
• Thin cows. Separate them and feed more so they can catch up before calving.

Sort Your Cows

Feeding one group the same ration is simple, but it can leave thin or young cows underfed and fat cows overfed. Many ranchers sort into groups by age and condition, giving more feed to those who need it. Even a simple split between first-calf heifers and mature cows can pay off.

Common Winter Feeding Mistakes

• Not scoring cows. You cannot manage what you do not measure.
• Not testing hay. Guessing quality leads to over- or underfeeding.
• Ignoring cold and wind. Increase feed when it is cold and wet.
• Letting water freeze. Cows stop eating when they cannot drink.
• Feeding in mud. It wastes feed and energy.
• Waiting until calving to fix thin cows. It is much harder then.

Keep Records

Write down body condition scores, feed amounts, weather and calving results. Over a couple of winters, you will see what works. Records also help with culling decisions, since cows that stay in good condition on less feed are valuable. For a lighter look at how dry weather affects hay supplies, see farm.fm's humor piece on Texas drought forcing early hay feeding, and the page on pasture management for Angus herds for a longer view.