Caring for cow herds during the winter can be challenging when it becomes bitterly cold. In general cows are cold tolerant and are comfortable down to 20°F. What are management strategies when temperatures dip below that?
A recurring challenge every winter in Iowa is keeping the water you use from freezing. Keeping water thawed requires adequate heat to keep the temperature of the water above freezing. The three most common approaches are adding heat with a heating device, insulating to conserve heat, and adding heat by bringing in warmer water.
You’ve done the cutting, raking, and baling, and now you have a field of round bales ready to be stored for future use. You’ve put in the time, money, and effort; why not do your best to preserve your investment?
There seem to be no limits to the creative capacity of nature lovers, so one can find design specifications for structures for anything from a turtle to an osprey. Many different shapes, sizes, and designs are available for ‘bird houses’. Boxes for secondary cavity nesters also come in all shapes and sizes to target dozens of species in Iowa.
The hot, dry summer has many areas of Iowa concerned about winter forage stores. Winter feed costs are the primary cost item in all sheep enterprises. How can you stretch your supply?
One of the challenges of surviving an Iowa winter is keeping the water you use from freezing. Let's look at some advice regarding winter protection for water pipes, tanks, and dishes.
Common sense will tell you that adequate home insulation saves money. But beyond insulation, what can acreage owners do to save on energy costs through the winter months?
Horses are popular animals on Iowa acreages. Do you know your horse's needs during the cold winter months? A horse’s adaptation to cold weather is either acute (immediate) or chronic (long-term).The immediate response of a horse to a sudden change in temperature is to change its behavior.
With winter just around the corner, snow fences are going up in anticipation of the snows that will surely come. Snow fences are just one of the ways to control drifting snow. To make sure they do the job right without creating more problems, they must be properly placed.
At this stage of winter, trees on Iowa’s landscape are still months from blooming and providing shade, which makes this the prime time of the year to give trees a tune-up with pruning. Using proper pruning techniques avoids harming trees. Here are some tips from horticulturists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach on the proper way to prune trees in winter.
