Bale Grazing. How We Keep Our Cattle Warm in Winter.
This weekend and next week the temperatures at night are expected to reach single digits, with wind chills making it feel even colder. After a warm December, it appears that winter has finally settled in here at The North Coast Ranch. We're often asked, "How do you keep your cattle warm in the winter?" Let me tell ya... -- READ MORE -- Our cattle, your grass-fed beef, are well-prepared for the impending cold. The fat on their bodies acts as insulation, much like whale blubber, and they all boast thick fur coats. Unlike us, cattle can efficiently generate heat from the inside out; their four stomachs function as a fermentation vat to digest food, producing heat in the process. When it gets cold, they simply eat more to generate more heat. Simply amazing! We also take measures to assist them in retaining that heat. We feed hay using a technique called 'bale grazing'. What is bale grazing? Simply put, in the fall, we place bales of hay throughout the pasture in areas where the grass may need some extra nutrition. Sometimes, we will simply leave the bales of hay right in the field where it was harvested. If we determine it's the right place for winter grazing, we save time and fuel not moving the bale out of the field to then just move it back in during winter.
With hay bales placed where we want them for winter feeding, we then allow the cows access to only one or two bales of hay at a time. This lasts them one to three days. We do this until winter fades into spring and the lush grasses, clovers and other yummy edibles return to our pastures.
As the cattle huddle together munching on a bale of hay, several things are happening:
Bale Grazing = Heat + Natural Fertilizer + Fresh, Clean Land Bale grazing is just one of many lessons we've gleaned from nature over the years, contributing to our ability to produce well-marbled grass-fed beef...even in the midst of winter. Stay warm!
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