“Why don't you bring your cows inside, where it is warm?” you might ask. Some of my cattle are Scottish Highlanders that have long shaggy, lanolin coats. The long hair insulates them and the lanolin creates a natural “rain coat” causing snow and rain to run off before it penetrates to their skin. Even the Angus cross cattle have long coats and insulating fat that works the same way.
Snow covered cows might look miserable but they're not. A cow covered with a blanket of snow is a warm cow. Their hair insulates and keeps body heat in, preventing the snow blanket from melting. When the cow moves, snow slides off just like it slides off a roof. Cow hair acts like roofing, keeping heat in.
Don't worry about snow insulated cattle. With plenty of hay and adequate water the cattle laugh at the cold.
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Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, in Loudon, NH, where she raises and sells beef, pork,
lamb, eggs and other local products. She can be reached at cas@milessmithfarm.com.
