Northwest Ranchers And Dairies Struggle Against Freezing Temps, Wind Chill

Jan 04, 2017

By Anna King

Low temperatures, snow drifts and northeasterly winds east of the Cascades are making things difficult for Northwest ranchers and dairy owners. They are struggling to keep their animals hydrated, fed and warm.

Jack Field of Yakima, Washington, said his beef cattle and calves are struggling through 2-foot snow drifts, and his tractors are seizing up in the cold. Keeping the cattle fed is important since they can’t reach the standing hay or the grass under the snow.

Near Othello, Washington, Tony Freeman has 400 milking Holsteins. He said in this cold, every job takes twice as long. Freeman said it’s tough to keep the ice out of water troughs, tractors running, clean bedding and enough feed for the milkers.

Cold is also hard on the humans who tend them. Freeman spends a lot of his time telling his workers to come in the milk parlor every 15 minutes to thaw.

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Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

If you enjoy seeing how we evaluate our animals, follow along by subscribing to our channel. We share daily insights into the joys and challenges of sheep farming here in Canada.