Tips for providing pets and livestock a safe winter home

As the cold winter months quickly approach, Home on the Range Pet Sitting LLC wants to ensure that the animals in your life are safe and healthy this winter.

1. Make sure your livestock’s water supply is not frozen. Now is the time to winterize your water systems to ensure lines will not freeze.
2. Be aware of ice on barn floors and other surfaces. Slips and falls may cause traumatic injury to animals and their human caretakers.
3. Keep a close watch for livestock respiratory problems as temperatures fluctuate. Coughing, irregular breathing and excessive mucus are all signs of potential respiratory infections.
4. Remember that livestock need additional calories in colder weather since the animal’s body is expending much energy working to regulate body temperature. Invest in protein tubs, increase grain rations and also keep hay available to your livestock on pasture; remember that most forage is unavailable or covered with snow when winterlike conditions are present.
5. The animals work harder to stay comfortable and maintain body condition; make sure there is a dry place available for them to go to get out of the wind, rain or snow.

Share this page