Winter always seems to create unique challenges with livestock.
From keeping ice off the water troughs to providing feed with
enough nutrients to maintain the animal’s needs, each year seems
to be different. On the other hand, one thing that seems to
occur every year is a time period dealing with mud. Late winter
is the time of year mud really creates problems for farmers and
livestock in Ohio. Mud increases stress for the livestock and
the farm manager. The way you manage, or don’t manage, muddy
conditions affects your livestock’s performance and may have a
big impact on damaging forages in your pastures. Smith (1971)
reported that cattle in frequent deep mud could require 30
percent more net energy for maintenance requirements than
normally needed. A University of Nebraska study (1991) found
nearly identical results. The National Research Council (1981)
reported that small amounts of mud (4-8 inches deep) can reduce
feed intake 5-15 percent, while larger amounts of mud (12-24
inches deep) could reduce feed