Cattle - Raising Small Animals - page 455

year and a half before he began using these fields for grazing. Morrison raises 45 mother
cows that produce calves each year. He also buys about 40 or so calves each year from an-
other farmer who raises his cattle organically but does not want to finish them. Those calves
arrive at about 600 pounds and are grown to between 900 and 1,100 pounds. His cattle usu-
ally finish in about 18 to 20 months.
Storage
If your farm already has a barn or other storage facility, this is a safe place to store hay. Or,
you can build three-sided facilities to protect your hay. If you use a facility, make sure you can
keep the bottoms of your bales dry; one way to do this is to set bales on wooden pallets to
keep them off the floor. Again, you do not necessarily need a barn to store these materials. If
you do not have a barn or shed, you can store hay outside if you cover it with plastic or a tarp.
You also may use silage pits to store a certain type of food for periods of low forage quality,
such as in winter. Silage is fermented, moist forage that is made from almost any green, grow-
ing plant. It is stored either in silos or in concrete bunkers that are covered with airtight tarps.
If it is not stored properly, a dangerous bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes could sicken
or kill your animals.
Shelter
Cattle have lived outdoors for thousands of years, and they can survive outdoors in even the
most brutal climate extremes, but they do need some form of relief from both cold winds and
the sun's rays. Overheated livestock feel malaise, and they will not eat. High winds stress an-
imals, and they need more energy to keep warm in the cold. Barns or other existing structures
could provide shade or relief from wind. Your geography also may provide some natural relief
for your cattle. Tall hills or trees already on your property can slow the wind and block the
sun. Some farmers also plant rows of trees as windbreaks, but it could be a few years until
they grow tall enough to provide any shelter or protection.
Windbreaks
Many farmers construct artificial shades or windbreaks out of aluminum, steel, or other sturdy
materials. These structures can be one-sided, meaning they have one wall and an overhanging
roof held up with two posts, but some farms use simple open-sided sheds to protect animals
from the harshest weather conditions. Portable units with wheels are especially useful in a ro-