Growing Beef Newsletter
December 2025, Volume 16, Issue 6
Cold-weather cow care resources
Sherry Hoyer, IBC Communication Specialist
With winter comes the seasonal adjustments to management practices to help reduce impacts of cold-related stress in cattle. And while every winter is different, proper and timely planning and preparation can pay dividends in healthier cows and calves.
Iowa Beef Center has three resources designed to address specific areas of cold-weather-associated stress effects. All are available for free download from the Iowa State University Extension store.
Winter Care of the Cow Herd: Confinement Versus Open Grazing, IBC 0147
This resource describes a study comparing winter grazing and confinement systems for cows, and the project results. Three groups of cows were followed from early December through calving (estimated mid-March through April at the onset of the study), and housed at either the ISU McNay Memorial Research Farm in Chariton or the ISU Beef Teaching Farm in Ames. It was designed to evaluate whether effects of winter grazing or confinement for winter care of beef cows in Iowa would have any impact on the physical condition of the cow or the calf born to the cow in the spring. Bottom line: it appeared that when feedstuff quality is similar, there is no difference in the scenarios. The resulting actual carcass changes and the survivability of the unborn calf can be helpful in explaining best management practices for winter cow herd care to those unfamiliar with livestock.
Caring for Cow Herds During Cold Weather, IBC 0143
Cold weather and its associated stress are unavoidable in the Midwest; however, adequate planning and advance preparation can help to reduce the impact of cold on cattle welfare, health, and performance. The effective temperature that cattle experience is impacted by the environment, particularly air temperature and wind speed. Although wind chill temperature for humans is useful to predict cold stress in cattle, it doesn’t accurately determine the effective temperature for cattle due to their increased hide thickness and hair coat. While cold stress cannot be completely eliminated for cattle housed in typical outdoor facilities in the Midwest, this resource describes several management practices that can help to reduce the impact of cold stress and decrease potential health and performance setbacks.
Evaluating Body Condition of Beef Cows in Winter, IBC 0140
Cold weather brings increased nutritional requirements, although there’s no one answer for all situations. Hair coat and fat cover help determine the Lower Critical Temperature (LCT), which informs the necessary increase in a cow’s energy requirements. By paying attention to nutrition, windbreaks and bedding, producers can get their cows to ideal body condition score (BCS) prior to calving. This also aids in the calving process itself and subsequent breeding back. This resource offers a simple, visual solution to help boost the performance and profit potential of the cow herd by walking producers through the stages of the scale and providing information on the proper steps to body condition score cows.
And for those who’d like to work even further ahead, take a look at our online Calving Management Manual and start the planning process for your 2026 calf crop.
This monthly newsletter is free and provides timely information on topics that matter most to Iowa beef producers. You’re welcome to use information and articles from the newsletter - simply credit Iowa Beef Center.
