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Life is too short to eat bad food! Sharing great recipes, farm life, stories and photography from our Northern California dairy farm.

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January 11, 2011

How do Dairy Cows Fare in Cold Weather?

We've been getting our fair share of frosty weather here in northern California.  I've been really feeling it on the mornings when I get up at 5 a.m. to make it to my bootcamp class at the gym {which is both indoors and outdoors}.  On one of these frosty mornings, a gym classmate asked how the dairy cows fare in such weather.  Dairy cows actually prefer the cooler weather and can become heat stressed if the temperature rises above 80F degrees.  We don't experience severe weather where we live and it's actually rare for temperatures to drop below 29F degrees overnight....we're fortunate. 

The frosty weather does make for some cool photos though.........

Flat leaf parsley I hope you survive.



Our lawn looks almost snow covered.


One pet that does NOT enjoy the cold weather is Miss Chloe.  She barely wanted to touch her paws down on the lawn to do her business.


Luckily Calendula are like weeds and will most definitely survive.


I guess it would be a good idea to protect some of my more delicate plants from frost with covering.
What's on your winter to-do list??


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7 comments:

ann said...

Good for you for going to bootcamp. Stay committed it will pay off the rest of your life. I use to teach at the Y and I still walk everyday I am 70 and I think this is important to your health.

Nancy Grossi ~ Churned In Cali ~ The Wife of a Dairyman said...

@ann, I hope you're right...I would love to be healthy for many many years to come! Good for you for walking every day!

@ DeanO, yep!

Anonymous said...

Do your girls produce less in the winter? We just started milking year 'round - this will be our second winter, and the girls just don't perform well at all. I'm not sure if it's because they aren't used to it or if it's because they're Jerseys and smaller and therefore put more energy toward keeping warm? It's also only in the 20's here with 5" of snow so that could be a factor, haha. Our girls actually do better in the heat. Not peak performance by any means, but since they're smaller they tolerate the heat better than the bigger breeds. They still don't make as much as a holstein even at peak tho!
Stay warm and keep it up at the gym!

Nancy Grossi ~ Churned In Cali ~ The Wife of a Dairyman said...

@MilkMaid09, our cows produce the same in the winter as opposed to summer:) Thanks!

k. said...

In that photo Chloe's back legs look like they are levitating over the lawn!

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

We are in the middle of a huge snowstorm/blizzard! It's been snowing since mid-nite and it's now 3:30 in the afternoon! Sometimes I wish I lived in a warmer climate, but I do love MA in the Spring, Summer & Autumn and I guess the snow's OK too! LOL!!! My winter "to-do" list is huge! Lots of painting inside! I'll show photos when I'm done! Have a wonderful day!

Marie-Journey to Body Zen said...

I'm up to my knees in shoveling snow. We got 20" here in New Hampshire yesterday! My great dane lovesssss it!