This resource was fully reviewed and updatedA member of The Open Sanctuary Project’s staff has given this resource a full review and provided updates where necessary. by a member of The Open Sanctuary Project’s staff on January 5, 2024. It was originally published on May 4, 2018.

Like many animals, cowsWhile  "cows" can be defined to refer exclusively to female cattle, at The Open Sanctuary Project we refer to domesticated cattle of all ages and sexes as "cows." need an indoor shelter to keep them safe and comfortable, as well as ample outdoor space in which to roam, socialize, and graze. One sanctuary’s cowWhile  "cow" can be defined to refer exclusively to female cattle, at The Open Sanctuary Project we refer to domesticated cattle of all ages and sexes as "cows." living spaceThe indoor or outdoor area where an animal resident lives, eats, and rests. might look quite different from another’s, but there are some important things to keep in mind when considering cow resident housing. In addition to the considerations discussed below, we recommend checking out our resource on animal-centered design and considering ways to incorporate this into your design process!

Keep It Safe!
If you are bringing new cows into your life, you also need to ensure that you have an appropriate quarantine space to keep you and your existing residents safe!

A Note On Human Safety
While this resource focuses on what cow residents need when it comes to housing, it’s also important to consider what the humans coming into the space need, particularly sanctuary staff, volunteers, and service providers (such as veterinarians or farriersIndividuals who provide hoof and trimming care, especially for horses or cows.). Given their very large size, cows have the potential to cause serious injury to humans, even inadvertently. A cow who is interested in mounting a human can cause serious injury (even if the resident isn’t yet fully grown!), and just getting caught up in the shuffle of a group of residents moving around a tight space can be dangerous. While the topic of safely working around cows is beyond the scope of this resource, be sure to keep human safety in mind when designing cow resident living spaces, avoiding setups that would make a quick escape difficult for a human trying to get out of the way of a cow resident.

Indoor Living Spaces

Cows require access to indoor living spaces to ensure their comfort and safety. Appropriate indoor living spaces can also make it easier to perform certain healthcare tasks. People have employed many different materials and designs for housing cows, but we believe it’s best that they have access to a solid, four-sided structure, such as a pole barn, rather than a less robust solution. There are numerous benefits to a properly designed four-sided structure, but in warmer climates, a three-sided structure that is positioned so that the open side is away from cold prevailing winds can also work. Whatever design you choose, keep in mind that the indoor space must:

• Provide enough space for normal activity and healthy social dynamics
• Provide appropriate traction and be easy on the joints
• Provide protection from the elements year-round and be able to maintain a safe temperature
• Provide proper ventilation
• Be arranged so that all residents can be safely closed inside as necessary (such as to perform medical treatments or to protect residents during unsafe weather conditions)

Up next, we’ll look at some of the various components and considerations for indoor living spaces.

Adequate Ventilation Is Key!
We’ll talk a bit more about ventilation throughout this resource, but when considering cow resident living spaces, keep in mind that proper ventilation is imperative to ensure healthy indoor air quality. Cows produce heat and release a significant amount of water vapor when they breathe (according to The Cattle Site, “a mature dairy cow will breathe out four to five gallons of water per day as water vapor”). Without proper ventilation, this can contribute to a space that is too warm and humid and can put residents at risk of overheating and respiratory illness. The building materials you use, how the building is positioned, the placement and number of doorways, etc., can all impact ventilation. Keep ventilation front and center when making decisions about indoor living spaces to ensure you end up with a space that promotes resident health!

How Much Indoor Space Do Cow Residents Need?

When creating living spaces, it is important to ensure that your residents have enough space. There are many factors to consider when determining how much space cows need; there is no magic number we have to offer. Not all residents are going to do well with the general recommendations offered online or even those offered by established sanctuaries, so you’ll need to be prepared to expand their living space if that’s what they need. 

A few sanctuaries offer recommendations about the amount of indoor space cows need, but keep in mind that these are minimums and may not reflect the amount of space they strive to provide for their residents. Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries also provides space guidelines, but rather than offering specific dimensions, these guidelines focus on the behaviors and activities the space should be able to accommodate. 

The following recommendations are provided merely as a starting point:

Farm Sanctuary– Their 2018 Farm AnimalA domesticated animal that is used by humans either for their body or what comes from their body. Farmed animals have fewer regulations governing their welfare than other species in many countries. Care Conference resources (which we reference later in regard to outdoor space) do not offer specific recommendations about the amount of indoor space to provide, but their previous Cattle Care resource recommended at least 35 to 40 square feet per cow. 

Catskill Animal Sanctuary– Their Cow Fact Sheet recommends indoor shelters that provide at least 80 square feet per cow.

Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries– Their Standards For Ruminant Sanctuaries states, “Room dimension is dependent on intended purpose and/or duration of confinement, ensuring that ruminants can be housed with at least one other member of their species. Enclosures are large enough to allow all animals to comfortably move around and to lie down.” 

Be sure to think about what behaviors and activities the space needs to be able to accommodate and use the above dimensions as a starting point, keeping in mind that there are many factors to consider when determining the amount of space needed to keep your residents comfortable and happy. Age, breed, sex, health issues, activity level, group dynamics, and climate should be considered when creating a space or determining a space’s capacity. For example, because icy conditions are a serious safety hazard to cows, they need to be prevented from accessing icy terrain. In some cases, this may mean residents need to be closed inside for periods of time to protect them from dangerous slips and falls. Residents in this situation will need enough room to comfortably stay inside until the ice has melted or otherwise been addressed by sanctuary personnel. Therefore, in climates where icy conditions are common, residents may very well need much more indoor space than a group of cows in a warmer climate where ice is not a concern and residents mostly come inside to rest. 

Vertical Space

Because cows are a larger species, it’s important to ensure cow living spaces provide enough vertical space for them. In addition to ensuring they have ample headroom (and can’t reach things like lights, fans, etc.), it’s also important to consider that an individual who is unable to stand may need to be manually lifted using a device designed to safely lift bovines that is attached to equipment such as a tractor. This is something you must be trained to do, as doing so improperly can result in harmThe infliction of mental, emotional, and/or physical pain, suffering, or loss. Harm can occur intentionally or unintentionally and directly or indirectly. Someone can intentionally cause direct harm (e.g., punitively cutting a sheep's skin while shearing them) or unintentionally cause direct harm (e.g., your hand slips while shearing a sheep, causing an accidental wound on their skin). Likewise, someone can intentionally cause indirect harm (e.g., selling socks made from a sanctuary resident's wool and encouraging folks who purchase them to buy more products made from the wool of farmed sheep) or unintentionally cause indirect harm (e.g., selling socks made from a sanctuary resident's wool, which inadvertently perpetuates the idea that it is ok to commodify sheep for their wool). to the resident and serious injury to the humans involved. However, even if you don’t yet know how to do this, it’s important to ensure the structure will be able to accommodate this if needed. The equipment used to lift a cow needs adequate clearance in order to raise the lifting device so the cow is in a standing position (i.e., if using a loader tractor, you’ll need clearance to raise the loader arms). Therefore, in addition to avoiding low ceilings, we recommend avoiding lofts over cow resident living spaces because a loft may prevent equipment from being able to safely lift and maneuver a resident in need of assistance. 

Structure Walls

The sides of the structure must be able to withstand the elements, as well as large cow residents rubbing or bumping against them. Wall material options will depend a bit on the type of structure you are using and your climate and typically include metal, wood, and in some cases, concrete block. When choosing siding material, be sure to consider how different materials may impact indoor temperature and ventilation. While it has some downsides, we generally prefer wood siding because it breathes better than concrete and metal. Wood siding will need to be maintained (restained or repainted, as needed, with cow-safe products) to prolong its life, and rotting or broken boards will need to be replaced. Metal siding may last longer and require less maintenance, but when damaged will result in sharp edges that pose a safety hazard. 

Entrances, Doors, And Gates

When thinking about how many entrances a structure needs, be sure to consider not just how many ways in and out your residents need but also how you can use entrances to promote healthy airflow. In terms of entrance size, consider both width and height to ensure residents and any necessary equipment can easily move through the entrance. Doorways should be tall enough for residents to walk through without having to bend down. Narrow entrances (that can only accommodate one cow passing through at a time) might not be the best option in cow living spaces, particularly if the herd consists of more than just a few cows, as this may create a traffic jam when residents try to come and go, but if you only care for two or three residents, a few narrow entrances may be okay. 

Like the walls, doors that residents have access to need to be designed so as to withstand large residents rubbing up against them. Sliders are commonly used to cover cow living space entrances (though you may opt for a swinging door in narrower entrances – just make sure it’s sturdy and can be securely latched open or closed). Depending on the size of the entrance and the general design of the structure, entrances may be covered by one sliding door or two sliding doors that meet in the middle and slide in opposite directions. Slider doors hang from a track and can be moved into a closed, fully open, or partially open position.

Residents may inadvertently open or close sliders, so having latches installed that can secure the sliders fully shut, partially shut, and fully open may be necessary. Given the fact that cows are so large and strong, it’s a good idea to protect fully closed sliders with a heavy-duty gate installed on the inside of the slider to prevent residents from pushing through the door or rubbing or bumping against the closed slider, which could result in damage. Because you can use the gate to prevent residents from using a particular entrance without having to close the slider, you’ll be able to adjust the slider as needed to ensure proper ventilation.

Sliders should have a device (such as a stay roller, as shown above) at the bottom of each slider to prevent the wind (or a resident) from swinging the slider door outward or inwards. A swinging slider could seriously injure a resident or human and could also come off its track, posing further risk to anyone near it.

Gates used in cow resident spaces must be heavy-duty. Avoid lightweight aluminum gates, as these can be easily damaged by residents or equipment. Most gates come with a chain that can loop around a fence post to hold the gate closed, but we recommend also installing a heavy-duty latch. Some sanctuaries/caregivers choose to use both a latch and the chain loop so that gates are secured with two methods. We recommend this double-latching system because it gives you added protection if one fails.

Flooring And Bedding

We believe that the best flooring for cows is packed dirt. Although dirt floors will require regular upkeep and can be more difficult to thoroughly clean than some other substrates, they will provide your residents with more cushion and traction than concrete or wood. Proper drainage is key. You want to avoid a negative slope around the structure so that water does not run into the space. Raising the dirt floor so that it is higher than the surrounding ground will ensure water runs away from the structure. Some soil types might have poor drainage, in which case you’ll need to dig out the soil and replace it with materials that drain well. We recommend working with an expert in your area to determine what is necessary based on the specifics of your soil and terrain.

Over time, dirt floors will develop recessed areas where dirt has been removed during the cleaning process or due to resident activity. Be sure to watch for these recesses and fill them in as needed. The divots can pose a safety hazard to residents who may find themselves reclined in a recessed area and unable to stand. Additionally, these recesses, particularly when concealed by bedding, can result in human injury.

More On Concrete
Concrete is a fairly common recommendation in the farming community because it can be easily cleaned and can help wear down hooves, but housing sanctuary cow residents on concrete long-term is not ideal because it is too hard. Osteoarthritis is very common in cows as they age, so anything you can do to prevent undue strain on the joints is crucial. Constantly standing or walking on concrete is going to be hard on the joints, and even regularly lying down on concrete could result in issues. While smaller species may do okay on concrete covered with textured stall mats, this rarely provides enough cushion or traction for mature cows. We recommend avoiding concrete flooring when building or designing a cow living space. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you already have concrete floors, covering the concrete with a thick layer of packed dirt may be an adequate solution. Concrete that has not been buried is unacceptable for a mature cow’s long-term indoor living space. At The Open Sanctuary Project, unacceptable means that we cannot condone (or condone through omission) a certain practice, standard, or policy. See a more detailed explanation here.

The addition of bedding in cow indoor spaces will not only help keep residents comfortable, it also makes it easier to keep spaces clean. Straw and wood shavings are commonly used bedding options. Avoid bedding that could cause injury and those made from potentially toxic materials (such as some types of wood). In order to prevent illness, avoid bedding that may contain harmful pathogens or lots of dust (dusty bedding isn’t good for your residents or the humans who care for them).

Individuals who spend a lot of time lying down or who have mobility issues may benefit from being on a thick layer of naturally sourced sand. Sand can provide lots of cushioning, but it can also easily become cold and damp, so may not be a good option in certain climates or during certain times of the year. Additionally, if using sand, you must be very careful to keep food off the ground to avoid ingestion of sand, which can result in impaction.

Electricity

We highly recommend that cow structures have electricity (installed by a licensed professional and with fire safety in mind). This will allow you to have proper lighting, run exhaust and circulation fans when needed, and have a place for your farrier to plug in their equipment. In areas where temperatures dip below freezing, this will also allow you to install autowaters that have a heater to prevent water from freezing. All wires should be protected in conduit to prevent rodents from chewing them, which is both a headache and a serious fire risk. Electrical outlets should have constant-use covers to keep them dust-free, and you’ll want to keep them up out of the residents’ reach. 

Temperature Control And Ventilation

Ensuring your residents are both comfortable and protected from temperature-related illnesses and high humidity is an important aspect of care, but what you need to do in order to achieve this will depend on your climate and the individuals for whom you care. Different sources offer different temperature ranges they claim are ideal for cows, but these sources often come from non-compassionate sources, so discussion usually revolves around things like breeding and milk production. Though focused specifically on cow breeds that are typically raised for their flesh, according to the Extension Foundation, the thermoneutral zone (the temperatures at which cows can maintain their body temperature without expending energy) for cows is between 32°F and 77°F. However, weather conditions, such as humidity, precipitation, and wind speed, can impact a cow’s ability to maintain their body temperature. Their age, breed, hair coat, hair and body pigmentation, body condition, and overall health can also affect their ability to tolerate certain temperatures. Therefore, while it’s important to have an idea of the temperatures at which cows are more or less likely to be able to maintain their body temperature without having to expend a lot of energy, it’s equally important to frequently observe your residents for signs they may be too warm or too cold, so you can make adjustments. 

Warm Weather Considerations

During warm weather, you must implement appropriate strategies to keep indoor living spaces cool and offer other opportunities for residents to get relief from the sun and heat. It’s important to note that as humidity rises, the temperature at which a cow is likely to develop heat-related illness lowers. Be sure to keep a close eye on residents during hot and humid weather so that you can catch signs of heat stress early. A cow who is too warm will have an elevated respiratory rate that will become more elevated as they become more heat-stressed. As the situation becomes more severe, they will begin to breathe with their mouth open and pant, often with their neck extended. Be aware that these signs could also be an indication of a non-temperature-related health issue. A combination of the following measures can help keep residents cool during warm weather:

• House cows in a structure that has large sliders that can be adjusted as needed – By adjusting sliders to allow for a cool breeze/cross ventilation or to keep the sweltering sun out, you can help keep the space comfortable 
• Use exhaust fans – Properly positioned exhaust fans can help pull warm air out of the space
• Install industrial circulating fans – Properly positioned industrial circulating fans can be used to keep living spaces cool and to keep air flowing (make sure fans and cords are out of the residents’ reach!)
• Add water misters – Misters can be used in conjunction with fans, but these systems are most effective at cooling the space when the dewpoint is lower. When using misters, keep an eye out that resident spaces don’t get too wet (which may happen if water isn’t evaporating or if the system develops a leak).
• Provide lots of cool drinking water – Depending on how you are providing water, you may need to change it out more often to avoid water becoming warm. If residents tend to spend large portions of their day away from their indoor space, be sure to also have ample water available in the area where they spend their time.

Fly Mitigation
In many regions, warm weather brings with it flies. Proper fly mitigation strategies are imperative to keep cow residents both comfortable and healthy. You can read more about this topic here.

Cold Weather Considerations

When the weather is cold, steps should be taken to protect residents from becoming too cold. Keep in mind that if residents become wet (from snow or rain) or muddy, they will have a harder time staying warm. When cows become cold, they will start to shiver to maintain their core body temperature. A combination of the following measures can help prevent residents from becoming too cold when temperatures drop: 

• Cut down on drafts (while still allowing for ventilation) – Before the cold weather hits, it’s a good idea to check out resident living spaces, looking for gaps that would create a draft. If gaps have developed between the siding and the ground, these should be filled in. For wood board and batten strip siding, check that all gaps between boards are fully covered with the batten strip, and replace any broken boards or strips. During cold weather, adjusting slider doors to keep the prevailing wind out and to create areas where residents can get out of the wind can go a long way. If an entrance facing the prevailing wind cannot be closed, you might consider using thick plastic strip curtains (like those used in warehouses or walk-in coolers) to block the wind, so long as doing so does not impede ventilation of the space.
• Maintain proper ventilation – Without proper ventilation, spaces can become too humid, and ammonia levels can rise, putting residents at risk of respiratory illnesses. While exhaust fans can help, slider doors should also be adjusted accordingly to allow for healthy airflow. We’ve heard numerous stories of well-intentioned folks closing up cow resident housing a bit too tightly during cold weather, resulting in outbreaks of pneumonia. 
• Provide lots of clean, dry bedding – A nice layer of bedding is not only comfier to lie on but can also create a buffer between residents and the cold floor.
• Provide lots of hay – Cows produce body heat during the process of rumination, so having plenty of access to hay during cold weather is important. Keep in mind that cows may go through more hay when the weather is cold, so be prepared to restock their supply as needed.
• Consider using coats – While a healthy, mature cow is unlikely to require a coat in most settings, there may be certain individuals who would benefit from the addition of a properly fitting coat. This might include calves, elderly residents, those with certain illnesses, or individuals who have had a portion of their hair coat shaved for a medical procedure. If you use a coat, you must make sure that it fits properly and does not impede urination or accumulate urine. It’s good practice to check coats daily to ensure they are fitting properly and have not become wet. Be sure to replace a coat that has become wet, as this could result in the resident becoming chilled. Also, be aware that ill-fitting coats can pose a safety issue – coats that are too big could shift and become tangled around the individual. Removing and checking under the coat weekly will help ensure you aren’t missing any issues that are hiding under the coat, such as weight loss, external parasites, or skin issues.

To Heat Or Not To Heat?
In most climates, you should be able to protect healthy, mature cow residents from dangerous cold by implementing the strategies above rather than adding supplemental heat. However, calves cannot handle the same cold temperatures that mature cows can, and some individuals may be less able to tolerate cold temperatures. If you feel the situation is such that supplemental heat is necessary, this must be done carefully. Not only do you need to consider fire risks, but you also need to avoid creating spaces that are too warm and humid. Be aware that glass bulb heat lamps pose significant fire risks and should be avoided. Ceramic heat panels are typically a safer option when supplemental heat is needed.

Beware Of Snow Dams
Metal is a common roofing choice for cow living spaces, but if you live in an area that has the potential to get heavy snow, be aware that large chunks of snow and ice can form dangerous overhangs, which could cause serious or even fatal injury to residents or staff if this were to fall off and land on them. Snow guards can help prevent this issue. If snow guards are not possible, or snow overhangs still occur, be sure to pay close attention to the formation of dangerous overhangs and keep residents and staff away.

When temperatures are below freezing, you’ll also have to ensure your residents continue to have access to fresh, clean, unfrozen water. You can read more about how to do this here.

Outdoor Living Spaces For Cows

In addition to indoor spaces, cows require access to outdoor spaces that can keep them safe while still providing the freedom to explore and perform natural cow behaviors. Because they are grazers, it is difficult to talk about outdoor spaces without also considering their dietary needs and preferences. Be sure to check out our resource on the subject if you haven’t already so you know what types of vegetation to include and exclude. In a sanctuary setting, grasses should typically make up a large percentage of cow pasture vegetation, but the specific plants that will work best will depend on your climate, soil type, and other factors, so it’s a good idea to connect with your local cooperative extension for guidance. Certain plants are toxic to cows, so you’ll want to ensure your residents cannot access them in their outdoor spaces.

Think Beyond Just Pasture Spaces!
While grassy pastures are important for cow residents, they also enjoy wooded spaces. A stand of trees can provide shade in the summer and a wind break during cold weather, and a sturdy tree is a great place to rub against to scratch that itch! Whenever possible, try to provide outdoor living spaces that contain a mix of pasture and woods so that residents can choose where to spend their time. They might enjoy grazing early on a summer’s day and then moving into the woods for a midday nap during the hottest part of the day.

When designing outdoor spaces, be sure to:

• Provide residents with enough space to perform natural behaviors and promote healthy social dynamics
• Consider their grazing behaviors and preferences as well as their other natural behaviors, and provide the type of space necessary to honor these preferences and behaviors
• Avoid giving residents access to difficult or dangerous terrain (including terrain that becomes dangerous in certain weather conditions)
• Consider if predators are a concern in your area and design the space accordingly so as to keep residents in and predators out (keep in mind that calves will be vulnerable to predators that mature cows are not)

How Much Outdoor Space Do Cows Need?

Just as we don’t have a set recommendation for the amount of indoor space cows need, we also cannot provide a specific recommendation for outdoor space that is guaranteed to work universally. The same organizations that provided the indoor space recommendations shared above also offer recommendations for outdoor space, but remember that these are minimums and may not reflect what they strive to provide for their residents.

• Farm Sanctuary– Their 2018 Farm Animal Care Conference resources recommend no more than two cows per acre of healthy pasture land.
• Catskill Animal Sanctuary– Their Cow Fact Sheet recommends a minimum of 1 acre of pasture per cow, with two acres being strongly preferred. 
• Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries– Their Standards For Ruminant Sanctuaries recommends a minimum of 350 sq. ft. (32.5 sq. m) per cow.

If you are hoping your residents will be able to get most or all of their food through grazing in their outdoor spaces, this will be an important factor in determining how much space your residents need since not every acre of land is going to provide the same amount of forage (and even on the same acre of land, there will likely be some variation in terms of the amount and quality of forage available at different times of year). You’ll also need to account for the fact that vegetation will need time to rest and regenerate. This means that in addition to thinking about the amount of space your residents need at any given time, you’ll also have to think about how many different spaces they must have in order to allow for pasture rotation so vegetation can regenerate.

Design Outdoor Spaces With Pasture Management In Mind
Pasture management, which entails being able to move residents on and off areas as needed to prevent overgrazing and damage to vegetation, plays an important role in cow resident care. In order to achieve this while still providing your residents with outdoor access and grazing opportunities (when available), you should set up the space so that there are multiple outdoor spaces they can rotate through. This way, when one outdoor space needs time for vegetation to regenerate, residents can be moved onto a different space, ideally one with vegetation suitable for grazing. Having a rotation system allows for continuous, or close to continuous, access to grazing during the times of year when fresh vegetation is readily available.

In addition to thinking about how much outdoor space your cow residents need, be sure to also consider what type of space is best. Very steep grades can be difficult (and even dangerous in certain conditions). While healthy cows can safely navigate gentle or even moderate hills, individuals with mobility issues will likely need flatter spaces. (Keep in mind that osteoarthritis is very common as cows age, so even if your residents do not currently have any mobility issues, as they age, this may change.) 

Also, be sure to consider the conditions that come with different seasons in your region, as this may impact how much space residents can have during different times of year (and, as such, how the space should be divided and laid out to accommodate this). While residents may want to venture further out when the weather is nice (especially if there are fresh grasses available), these vast spaces may be difficult to monitor for dangerous conditions that may come with freezing temperatures or heavy precipitation. If these conditions are an issue in your area, you may need to provide your residents with different amounts (and types) of space during certain times of the year. For example, a path leading up a hill may be perfectly safe during the summer, but when the ground is muddy or covered in snow, this might be too slippery for residents to navigate safely.

Seasonal Considerations

As mentioned above, different seasons may bring with them different challenges that must be considered when designing outdoor living spaces. Below, we’ll talk about some of the most important seasonal considerations to keep in mind:

Snow And Ice

While icy terrain is a hazard for other sanctuary residents (and the folks who care for them), ice poses a significant risk to cow residents. Given their large size, slipping on the ice can lead to devastating and even life-ending injury, so it is imperative that cow residents not be allowed to access icy pathways or other slippery terrains. Be sure to take steps to protect residents from icy terrain, which may include restricting their outdoor access during icy conditions and using a cow-safe product on icy areas to prevent falls. In addition to ice, keep in mind that snowy pathways may become very slippery as the snow gets packed down from residents walking on it or as it melts and re-freezes. Areas cow residents have access to should be regularly checked for slippery patches so that they can be addressed before they cause an accident, and caregivers should keep a close eye on the weather so that they can take appropriate action if icy conditions are likely to develop. To learn more about other important sanctuary-wide considerations in winter, check out our resource here!

Mud

While mud may not be an issue in certain locales, if your region has a wet season, be prepared for mud. If conditions become overly muddy, you’ll need to give residents access to less muddy areas to prevent hoof issues like hoof rot or injuries due to slipping or getting stuck in the mud. If the area around hay feeders becomes muddy, you’ll want to move them to drier ground (and be prepared to move them again if this new area becomes muddy). Providing a covered space for hay feeders (and avoiding a negative slope around the feeding area in order to help keep the space dry) can help avoid a muddy mess around hay feeders. 

During periods when temperatures fluctuate, it’s possible for muddy areas to freeze into a hard, jagged landscape, which can create a very uneven surface to walk on and can lead to foot injuries. You’ll want to keep an eye out for this and either provide a different outdoor space or use equipment to flatten out the path to avoid issues.

Summer Heat

We already talked about ways to prevent indoor spaces from becoming too warm, but given how much time cows tend to spend outdoors, you also want to think about ways to offer relief from the sweltering sun that do not require retreating indoors. As mentioned above, a stand of trees can offer a cool spot to get out of the sun, but you might also consider adding a permanent or temporary shade structure(s) strategically placed in the living space, particularly if certain outdoor spaces are positioned a long ways away from their indoor living space. A thoughtfully placed shade structure can offer a shady option that doesn’t require a long walk in the heat. 

Similarly, because residents may be spending a significant portion of the day away from their indoor living space, be sure to make access to drinking water easy. Consider offering water tubs out in pasture spaces so that residents can access water without having to walk very far – just make sure to clean them daily and keep them refilled!

Fencing

Fencing is an essential aspect of outdoor living spaces for cows. Given their strength and larger size, robust fencing is a must! While cheap materials are unlikely to keep cows safely contained, even more expensive options that are suitable for smaller residents may need additional reinforcement in order to keep cows in their living space. There are a variety of different fence materials one might employ for cows, but be sure to choose materials that are able to withstand the strength of a cow – depending on the materials you use, this may mean using a combination of materials for additional reinforcement. For example, if you opt to use wood posts and 12-gauge galvanized woven wire non-climb fencing, there is a good chance you will need to add at least a top wood board in order to prevent residents from crumpling the fence. Even just the act of reaching their neck over the fence to reach tasty grass on the other side could result in a bent fence that is no longer as tall as it was, making it possible for residents to step right over it. Adding a wooden board along the top of the fence can prevent this from happening, but you may find that you actually need to add multiple wooden boards to reinforce the entire fence. If opting for just wood boards and no wire mesh, make sure gaps between boards do not pose the risk of head entrapment. Though a common recommendation in farming settings, we do not recommend using barbed wire as it can injure residents. 

Stayed Tuned For More On Cow Fencing!
Fencing for cows is an important topic and one we plan to cover in more detail in the future. Stay tuned – we announce new resources on our social media channels and in our newsletter. If you’re not already signed up for our newsletter, you can sign up above!

Once you’ve got your residents’ space set up, be sure to keep it clean and properly maintained to ensure their continued comfort, safety, and health!

SOURCES:

Cattle Care | Farm Sanctuary*

Cow Fact Sheet | Catskill Animal Sanctuary

Standards For Ruminant Sanctuaries | Global Federation Of Animal Sanctuaries

Poisonous Plants In Pastures | University Of New Hampshire

How Hot Is Too Hot? | Drovers (Non-Compassionate Source)

5 Tips To Keep Your Cattle Safe In The Summer Heat | Texas A&M (Non-Compassionate Source)

Cattle Care Standards: Recommendations For Meeting California Legal Requirements (Non-Compassionate Source)

Explain The Concepts Of Thermoneutral Zone, Lower Critical Temperature, And Upper Critical Temperature, And How They Relate To Metabolic Rate | Extension Foundation (Non-Compassionate Source) 

Heat Stress In Dairy Cattle | University Of Minnesota Extension (Non-Compassionate Source)

LivestockAnother term for farmed animals; different regions of the world specify different species of farmed animals as “livestock”. Housing Ventilation: Natural Ventilation Design and Management for Dairy Housing | The Cattle Site (Non-Compassionate Source) 

Air Quality Inside Livestock Barns | Ontario Ministry Of Agriculture, Food, And Rural Affairs NC 

Dairy Cattle Need Ventilation To Prevent Heat Stress | Martin-Gotton College Of Agriculture, Food, And Environment (Non-Compassionate Source)

*As of the publishing of this resource, the online care guide does not reflect the updated information provided to 2018 FACC attendees.

Non-Compassionate Source?
If a source includes the (Non-Compassionate Source) tag, it means that we do not endorse that particular source’s views about animals, even if some of their insights are valuable from a care perspective. See a more detailed explanation here.