In from the Cold

As you look out on a cold winter’s day at a herd of cattle with snow piled on their backs, you might be tempted to move them into a nice, airtight barn. Don’t fall for it. Those animals have adapted to withstand some pretty extreme weather. However, you can give them a little help to make the big chill of winter less harsh.

Although the layer of snow on your animals’ backs looks like it should be freezing them to death, it’s actually a pretty good indicator that they aren’t losing too much body heat. Many livestock animals grow long, sometimes fuzzy coats in winter Thanks to piloerection — the ability of hair follicles to rise up — those coats trap warm, dry air next to the skin, keeping heat in and cold out. Think of it like the roof on your house: Snow on the roof actually means the roof is well-insulated, with little heat radiating out.

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