Best management practices for winter care of bred cows aren’t always evident, especially if they are subjected to wintery conditions common in the Upper Midwest.
An Iowa State University study evaluated the effects of winter grazing compared to confined winter care of beef cows to determine if conditions would have any impact on the physical condition of the cow or the calf born to the cow in spring. All groups of cows were supplemented with better-quality feed about three weeks prior to calving to ensure adequate forage quality for cows and their developing calves
. . . it appears that where feedstuff quality was similar between scenarios, there was no difference.” – Garland Dahlke
Source: BEEF, September 29, 2023. Link. A four-page publication details the project study, results, and findings <Link>. It is available as a free download from the ISU Extension store.