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PM Ranch in Winter

30 January 2019

Late January 2019 saw a SERIOUS cold snap hit much of Northern USA. On the morning of the 30th Padula sent me the following narrative and photos.

 

WeatherWool sources some of its raw wool from Bob Padula's PM Ranch in Minnesota, where the temperature was -30F/-34C when this photo was taken on 30 January 2019

It is a bit Chilly at the PM Ranch today (-30F/-34C), but the sheep are doing fine wearing their own pre-WeatherWool garments.

One of the problems we experience in extreme cold is frosty sheep. As the sun comes out, the snow frost melts on the sheep and the sheep get damp on the outside of the fleece. (Water does not penetrate down to skin of the sheep, so they are warm). But, snow packed ice is very cold and the sheep can get frozen down to the ice, or stuck to something metal if they lay against it (hay feeders are metal). Similar to sticking your tongue on a metal flagpole. So I have to make sure everyone gets up and moves around.

WeatherWool sources raw wool in part from Bob Padula's PM Ranch in Minnesota. This picture was taken in January 2019 when air temperature was -30F/-34C. Wool protects the sheep from extreme temperatures will protect people too!

I plan for "wasted" hay around the feeders for them to lay on as bedding just for that reason. Being a ruminant, sheep are warmed by eating the hay. We do feed some extra feed that is a higher in energy during the cold to help keep them warm.