Keeping the Cows in the Corn Even During the Winter Storm SARE National Conference August 15-17, 2006 Oconomowoc, Wisconsin Don Struxness
Wintering Our experience with water Our experience with windbreaks Our experience with winter feeding Other things we use
Our Farm Building Site Roads Windbreaks Filter Strip Well Waterlines Water Points Hydrants Fences Portable windbreaks
Water Well Underground waterlines Access points Fountains
Well Pump Submersible ¾ Horsepower Pressure tank 85 gallon Heater 1500 watts
6 feet deep PVC pipe 2 diameter Gopher proof Adequate pressure 20 lengths Double gasket couplings Underground waterlines
Trenching Good going Sandy loam No rocks Trench wall stands up good
Trenching Not so good going Low area Trench collapses Ground water high Back hoed 200 Filled pipe with water Hold down & cover
Installing waterlines Connecting pipe Lowering pipe
Crossing roads Traffic Buried telephone wires Packing
Access Points Digging out for 15 tile Using 1 x 6 board to prevent the dirt from going back in the trench
Access Points Attaching quick coupler hydrant to 2 waterline before it is lowered into trench
Access Points 15 tile Backfilled Packed Bentenite
Access Points Looking down 6 to the quick coupler hydrant on 2 PVC waterline
Accessing the Waterline Remove cover 1 riser pipe
Accessing the waterline Uncover hydrant Snap riser pipe into hydrant
Our First Energy Free Fountain Two Hole Mirafount Old concrete floor 5 x 9 insulated tube Water level critical for seal Lack of water pressure as cattle are drinking allows cold air in
Energy Free Fountain Two hole Ritchie Bird & cattle waste can get in Poured concrete pad 1 4 x 8 dense styrofoam 15 tile with a 5 x 14 insulated tube
Portable Energy Free Fountain Two hole Mirafount Flip up lids 8 x 8 bridge plank platform 15 tile 5 x 14 insulated tube Precise water level not as important Air can t get in even with low water level
Portable Energy Free Fountain Two hole Pride of the Farm Poly lids 8 x 8 bridge plank platform 15 tile 5 x 14 insulated tube
Portable Energy Free Fountain Two hole Highcroft One poly lid One rubber lid 8 x 8 bridge plank platform 15 tile 5 x 14 insulated tube
Portable Energy Free Fountain Poly lid Cornstalks around fountain before ground freezes
Old Fountain Mirafount from 70 s Bigger, weaker, not as efficient, much larger float
Old Style Energy Free System
Windbreaks University of Wyoming model 90 degree V shaped protection barrier reduces wind speed & diverts drifting snow
Windbreaks Number of animal units (AU s) protected by barrier heights H Height (H) Wings (L) Width (D) Area (A) AU s (ft) (ft) (ft) (ft2) 6 60 84.85 3,963.6 79 8 80 111.14 7,046.8 141 10 105 148.49 11,823.5 236 12 125 176.78 16,828.1 336 14 145 205.06 22,713.5 454 Area of protection zone with 60-80% wind reduction.
Windbreak View from the north
View from the west Windbreak
Windbreak View from the south
View from the east Windbreak
Windbreak Beginning winter Four 10 x 12 panels Forty 5 x 6 round cornstalk bales One 7 x 12 perforated panel
Drift formed southeast of east wing Windbreak
Windbreak West wing cornstalk bales replaced by perforated panels Snow comes through perforated panels
Snow free area Snow drift downwind from wing Cornstalk bales replaced by perforated panels Windbreak
Windbreak Cattle spread over 20 acres Fed hay & cornstalks all over pasture
Windbreak Portable windbreaks northwest & southeast of energy free fountain Bedded inside windbreak
Windbreak Four portable perforated panels Farmsite & bale pile are major snowcatch
Winter Feeding Bales set out for winter feeding
Feeding the bales Winter Feeding
Think Spring!
Winter Feeding Direct cut lacerated vacuum haylage Use round bales to hold down plastic once opened
Winter Feeding 50 x 100 7 high 52 loads
Winter Feeding Buckton wagon Tractor & grapple fork Should have used slice
Winter Feeding Grazing cornstalks Feeding under electric wire
Winter Feeding Brought cows home for calving Feed with Buckton against electric wire
Winter Feeding Early spring feeding on hillside Standing corn Windbreak & fountain
Winter Feeding Fat steers in the grazing corn
Strip grazing standing corn to supplement hay in early spring Winter Feeding
Wire Winder Adjustable diameter Mounted on bale fork hydraulic
Wire Winder Variable speed hydraulic valve Hydraulic motor Be careful
Corner Small fiberglass corner Screw-in auger For one or two wires
Handling the hot wire Get in the bucket Don t grab ground wire at the same time Insulation Bucket
My Little Helper
Credits Jairell & Schmidt USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Laramie, Wyoming their research gave us the confidence that we could keep cattle out in the cornfields using portable windbreaks and an underground water system West Central Research & Outreach Center, UM Morris, Minnesota; MDA Sustainable Ag Grant; SARE Grant provided valuable support enabling us to winter on different areas of our farms