The Big Freeze - Dec 2022

Mooooo · 12-12-2022 7:12pm

Non main roads lethal after the showers. Freezes straight away, I was in tractor and it spinning away in spots. Nearly slipped on me hole walking across the yard.

Hard Knocks · 12-12-2022 8:54pm

Fog never lifted here all day, the window screens on anything not started didn’t thaw at all today

dohc turbo2 · 13-12-2022 8:05am

Big change this morning , tawed out during the night, water back on one shed, hopefully second shed be running soon, yards clear and garden clear, big change over night

Reggie. · 13-12-2022 9:22am

Plenty of frost around but doesn't seem as sharp. No fog so far so might thaw off earlyish

emaherx · 13-12-2022 10:20am

Nice bright morning but everything is frozen solid since yesterday morning, at least the fog lifted. Not massive demand on water from the cows but drinkers will be empty by afternoon if no thaw, still have water in some straw covered IBC's and that haven't frozen.

davidk1394 · 13-12-2022 10:43am

Small bit of snow yesterday and some frost last night. No frost Sunday night.

I was going to get these girls a jersey to keep them warm 😏

_Brian · 13-12-2022 11:58am

We have large water tank in slatted shed for rainwater and drinkers are gravity fed of that. 2010 was last time they froze, so far they are good. Heat lamp on timer in pump house. It was on a frost star but that went faulty, there’s a repair for the list

haven't been down the yard myself in few days but all good so far.

Over the winters we keep a battery maintenance charger on the tractor all the time so no problems starting to feed

Mooooo · 13-12-2022 1:51pm

Rain all morning, next few days could be worse if it freezes hard again

memorystick · 13-12-2022 2:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119976942#Comment_119976942

Are bullocks ok without water if on silage only?

endainoz · 13-12-2022 2:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991179#Comment_119991179

I'd say they'd need a small bit alright, but the water requirement should be pretty low, not exactly zero though.

somofagun · 13-12-2022 3:22pm

Built a new cattle house which is getting its first use this year and there are 38 in total in it with a mixture of bullocks & heifers and it was -2 in it this morning.

All lying on slats which I still haven't got used to seeing as we bedded on straw previously in an old shed built back in the 60's with a low lean-to roof and only kept a handfull of weanlings over the winter. No frozen water troughs or anything to deal with but is -2 normal enough in a cattle house in this weather.

Siamsa Sessions · 13-12-2022 4:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991308#Comment_119991308

I'm drawing a few buckets into store cattle that are getting no meal and they're not that interested. But I still wouldn't leave them without the option of water anyway.

I'm surprised at how little they're drinking all the same.

Silverdream · 13-12-2022 4:13pm

Wallpaper background sorted for the next while!

Lime Tree Farm · 13-12-2022 5:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991810#Comment_119991810

And I am amazed at the amount of freezing water they are drinking, they are on silage.

Base price · 13-12-2022 5:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991864#Comment_119991864

Not quite as picturesque as yours . A few cows, one calf and in calf heifers on the stand off pad.

IMG_2403.JPG

ESetter · 13-12-2022 7:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991810#Comment_119991810

Mine the same..id say a lot of it is the type of silage..i have a few wet bales and im using them in this freeze up.

Silverdream · 13-12-2022 8:37pm

Great picture @Base, it must have gone a good bit below zero judging by the way the trees have frosted up

Silverdream · 13-12-2022 8:41pm

By chance I gave the dog water too, he was gasping with the thirst and it hadn't dawned on me that he had no access to some

whelan2 · 13-12-2022 8:56pm

Some areas don't seem to have it bad at all, we're all ice and frost and I'm half an hour away in meath and it's 3 degrees, no frost

mr.stonewall · 13-12-2022 9:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119991179#Comment_119991179

They would want to get access to some water every 24hrs. In 2010 kept cattle moving every 24 hours to a pen that had water.

Holding up ok here so far. Just a small shed where I have 2 cows and 2 calves in is frozen. Just put a half a blue barrel in and have a tap and hose that can be left dripping nearby. In the he main sheds, a few drinkers froze a bit, nothing that 10 seconds with a blowtorch wouldn't sort. Keeping the doors shut to the north has help keep some heat in. In some of the larger drinkers I have a bit of a 6x3 that floats cattle play with it when the drink and slows the ice forming