Bringing the Cattle In: Winter in the Sheds
Every autumn there’s a moment on the farm when the fields empty and the sheds fill up. This year it came a little earlier than usual, and it’s been a busy few weeks since.
Why we brought them in early
We’d normally leave the cattle out until later in October, when the fields start to get wet and muddy. But after this summer’s drought, our grass needs time to recover. If we kept grazing it now, we’d still be feeling the effects next spring, so the cattle came in early to give the fields a rest.
The only ones still out are our Longhorn cows and calves, who will stay out a little longer.
All hands on deck
Bringing everyone in is a team effort. Sam rounded them up from the fields at Papley, with help from his dad, Norman, and our placement student, Christian. Christian comes from an arable background, so cattle were all fairly new to him when he arrived, and he’s learnt an amazing amount about livestock in the short time he’s been with us.
And me? I was recruited to stand in gaps, looking as big and confident as possible while cattle ten times my weight decided whether to believe me.
The autumn health check
Once everyone was home and settled, every animal got a thorough check. We weigh them, which tells us how well they’ve grown over the summer and helps us plan their feed for the winter. We worm them, and treat anyone who needs it, so they go into winter in the best possible health.
Spotting a problem now is far easier than dealing with it in the middle of winter.
What’s on the menu
Over the winter, the cattle are fed what’s called a “ration”. It’s mostly made up of our own homegrown grass silage, topped up with our maize silage and minerals. The ration isn’t fixed. It changes throughout the year, depending on things like how well the cattle are putting on weight, so everyone gets what they need.
Watching for pneumonia
Housing cattle brings its own challenges, and the weather plays a big part. When the temperature swings from warm to cold and back again, like it has over the last few days, the air gets damp and humid. That’s exactly when pneumonia can take hold, particularly in younger animals.
Our sheds are purpose built for cattle, with plenty of ventilation to keep fresh air moving and reduce that risk, and we bed them up with fresh straw every day. But we still watch closely for the early signs. If we spot any, we act quickly. The earlier it’s treated, the better the outcome.
The part people don’t see
Most of what goes into raising good beef happens long before anyone sees it on a plate. It’s checking the cattle first thing in the morning and last thing at night, keeping an eye on the forecast, and noticing when something isn’t quite right. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the part of the job.
If you’d like to see more of life in the sheds this winter, follow us on Instagram at @longbrookfarm.
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