by Garth Ruff
Traditionally, we describe weather in four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
On the farm, the reality is the seasons tend to be more variable and more complicated. I like to describe the seasons of Ohio cattle farming more as follows: winter, mud, calving, hay, breeding and marketing.
For some, throw in planting and harvest as well, but those are the six distinct periods throughout the year that cattle producers make management decisions that impact herd performance and profitability. They also may bleed into one another depending on what Mother Nature has in store with precipitation and temperatures.
Now that we are through the bulk of winter (regardless of what the groundhog may have said), we are now in my least favorite season: mud.
To be clear, I, along with many cattle producers, hate mud season. Not only do we drag heavy, wet soil on our shoes everywhere, but the impact mud has on livestock is significant.
As rainfall patterns shift in Ohio and the rest of the eastern Corn Belt, indications are that our springs are going to be warmer and wetter over time. I think we can attest to that if recent memory serves us well.
I don’t have to drive very far to see cattle standing around a bale feeder in near-hock-deep mud. Consider the impact mud has on energy requirements for a cow and the health impacts for a young calf, especially when temperatures are still relatively cold as we move into the start of mud season.
Mud depth significantly increases cow energy requirements (up to 30% or more) while simultaneously reducing feed intake 15% to 30% due to increased movement effort, reduced mobility to feeders and loss of hair coat insulation.
Mud 4 to 8 inches deep can reduce feed intake by 15%, while deeper mud (12-plus inches) further drops intake and forces cows to burn energy for body heat, resulting in lower milk production, poor body condition and reduced calf health.
Supplementing corn
As mud becomes more of an issue, especially in the last trimester of gestation for a beef cow, research conducted at Ohio State University Eastern Ag Research Station has shown that a cow in muddy conditions requires an additional 1.8 megacalories of net energy per day, or 2.5 pounds of corn, to maintain adequate body condition, as demonstrated by Dr. Kirsten Nickles.
To account for the additional need in calories, cows can be supplemented. The most cost-effective feedstuff to supplement is whole shelled corn. On a per-pound basis, supplementing corn is cheaper than purchasing additional hay, given the current price of both feeds.
This remains true even at higher corn prices than we are currently experiencing. At $7 per bushel of corn, the additional cost of supplementing corn is only $0.25 per head per day.
Alternative hay feeding methods
Unrolling large round bales works best when the ground is frozen, but it can provide a place for young calves to lay in muddy conditions. Frozen ground prevents the trampling of hay into the mud.
Unrolling does have an advantage when it comes to manure distribution across a pasture, but generally, it has a larger percentage of waste. If you are unrolling large round bales, only unroll what a group of animals can consume within a single day.
Not only does mud have an impact on cow body condition, but management and feeding also become a challenge when excessive muddy conditions persist. Hopefully, the 2026 mud season is a short one. That said, it’s a good time to make sure boots are not leaking, and get ready to catch grief for dragging mud into the garage or house.
Ruff is the OSU Extension beef field specialist. He is also a member of the OSU Extension Beef Team that publishes the weekly Ohio BEEF Cattle letter, which can be found at beef.osu.edu.