Preparations for Winter on a Humane Farm

By Samantha Gasson, FACT’s Humane Farming Program Director

Depending on where you live, winter farm preparations can look vastly different. They could be a simple as moving herds and flocks to areas less prone to flooding or it could be the herculean task of moving animals inside for the coldest part of the winter. Here in NC where snow is on everyone’s wish list, but not on the schedule, we prepare for mud. Yep, mud.

While we may not get much in the way of snow we do get a fair amount of precipitation at near freezing temperatures, with nothing growing to take up the water you end up with sodden fields reminiscent of the moors in Scotland (might be a bit of an exaggeration but still).

As mud season opens its boot sucking jaws, we have already bid farewell to all the birds on the property except for our layers and our breeding flock of turkeys (plus the 50 or so geese we can’t seem make a decision about). It’s hard to raise birds successfully when the most likely forecast is 40 deg and raining, they are slow to grow and quick to sicken. We’re never sad to say goodbye to the last flock of the year and never happier when we get our first batch late winter, the break is a much-needed respite.

Winter seems to be our ruminants favorite time of year with endless (albeit short) days of lounging in the sun. They are perfectly toasty with their winter down/fleece and personal internal furnaces to keep them warm (the rumen is a chemical vat always digesting, churning and creating heat).  So long as they have hay and a place to shelter during a cold rain, they can been seen most winter days with eyes closed, jaws masticating, and bovine brains ruminating on life in general.

If you’re interested in learning more about how the farmers in your region prepare for winter reach out and ask. You will likely be surprised at how much care and thought goes into raising flocks and herds in winter.

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