Читать книгу Hobby Farm Animals - Chris McLaughlin - Страница 14

Cattle tolerate an amazing range of weather conditions and do fine outside year-round in nearly all climates. There are a few times, however, when they should have some sort of shelter. In the “ice belt” (those states between the snowbelt and the no-snowbelt), where there can be months-long stretches of damp, almost-freezing weather, cattle are healthier and happier if they can get out of the mud and the wet. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; an old shed open on one side or an old barn bedded with old hay, straw, or sawdust will work. However, you’ll need to borrow or rent a skid steer with a bucket to clean the place out in the spring.

Cold winds can be hard on cattle, too. If you can arrange a place where they can get out of the wind, they’ll do much better. This can be anything from a belt of trees to the side of a building. Extremely hot weather is also tough on most types of cattle, so having shade available, again either under trees or near a building, makes a big difference to them.

Most types of existing outbuildings can be converted into indoor cattle handling facilities.