Low Animal Nutrition in Winter
by Eric Peterson
WELL, IF YOU ARE AN ANIMAL THAT DEPENDS ON THE NATURAL VEGETATION FOR YOUR SUSTENANCE, THIS IS A TOUGH TIME OF YEAR. ALL THE GRASSES AND FORBS HAVE GONE DORMANT FOR THE WINTER AND ITS NUTRITIONAL QUALITY IS AT ITS LOW POINT.
FORTUNATELY IF YOU EVOLVED OUT HERE THE NUTRIENT REQUIREMENT OF YOUR DIET IS AT ITS LOW POINT TOO. THE HIGHEST REQUIREMENT FOR ANIMALS IS JUST BEFORE AND AFTER THEY DELIVER THEIR YOUNG. BEFORE BIRTHING THEY ARE GROWING A FETUS INSIDE. AND AFTER BIRTH, THERE ARE THE DEMANDS OF LACTATION TO SATISFY. AND MOTHER’S MILK IS A BIG NUTRITIONAL INVESTMENT. SO ANIMALS PUP, CALF, FAWN OR KINDLE IN THE SPRING WHEN THERE IS LOTS OF NUTRITION AVAILABLE. THEY TIME THEIR BREEDING SEASON TO DELIVER THEIR YOUNG AT THAT TIME.
I DON’T ENVY THOSE COWS OUT THERE, IT’S A TOUGH TIME OF YEAR FOR THEM. BUT AT LEAST I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS COMING AT TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN THEIR NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS ARE AS LOW AS THEY ARE GOING TO BE. FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE, I’M ERIC PETERSON.