What are the seven key points for fattening cattle in winter

Grass In winter, sufficient forage for cattle should be prepared. Under normal circumstances, each cow needs about 1500 kg of forage such as silage, green hay, rice straw, and corn stalks. The forage should be stacked well, strictly protected from wind, rain, and snow cover, and ensured not to become moldy or spoiled.

Warmth Before winter, the cattle shed should be inspected and repaired, wind openings should be sealed, and the roof should be ensured not to leak rain or snow. At night, curtains should be hung on the doors to protect against the cold. Dry grass and dry soil should be frequently spread in the cattle shed, and cattle dung should be cleaned every day to keep the shed clean and dry.

Feeding Straw should be finely chopped. Feed roughage first, then concentrate. The roughage should be diversified, with green grass, rice straw, wheat straw, corn leaves, sweet potato vines, peanut vines, and others mixed and fed together. In addition to feeding enough roughage every day, concentrate feed such as corn, cakes, bran, and barley should also be fed. Each cow should be fed 10-12 kg of roughage per day, and at the same time, for every 100 kg of body weight, add 10 g of salt, 15 g of bone meal, and 30 g of urea (dissolved and mixed into the concentrate feed).

Water As the saying goes, “grass for fat, feed for strength, water for spirit,” which shows that raising cattle well requires not only good feed but also sufficient drinking water. Generally, each cow should drink 35-45 kg of water per day and night, drink water 3-4 times a day, with the water temperature at about 40°C.

Brushing Frequently brushing the cattle's body helps keep the cattle's skin clean and hygienic, can promptly remove external parasites, and can also promote blood circulation in the cattle's body and enhance cold resistance.

Cleanliness The forage must not contain sand, stones, soil, or foreign matter, and must not be moldy or spoiled. Cattle should not be allowed to drink muddy or polluted water. The water should be fresh and clean, the shed should be clean, and the feeding trough should be cleaned every day to remove leftover forage and frequently scrubbed, so as to prevent bacteria from contaminating the remaining forage and affecting the cattle's health.

Prevention This means preventing cattle diseases. The cattle shed should be regularly disinfected with 2% lime milk, and feeding utensils should be regularly disinfected with a 2%-3% potassium permanganate solution. In winter, cattle should be dewormed once, and attention should be paid to preventing other diseases. If diseases are found, they should be treated promptly.