There are many strategies available to help the farmer weather the winter without incurring excessive levels of expense. In most cases, we don't have the option of only keeping livestock during the warm months. Therefore the successful farmer will plan for winter and hope that it will be mild.
Livestock energy demands increase during the colder weather. They may grow a thick coat of fur for winter but they will also eat more to help fuel their bodies to produce body heat. If they cannot consume sufficient energy animals will begin to utilize stored body fat to compensate. This will reduce their weight and condition, which in turn reduces their economic value. Many farmers compensate for this situation by "fatting" up the animals before winter.
The nutrient needs of animals come from a variety of sources. They can include forages (grasses, alfalfa, clover etc) most of which is in the form of bales or silages and grains (wheat, barley corn etc). The goal of these feedstuffs is to either match the animals nutrient needs (to maintain conditioning) or provide sufficient additional nutrients to promote continued growth. This can result in a varied diet from week to week depending on the weather conditions experienced.
One consideration that is often overlooked during winter feeding is the quality of the nutrients. I have seen many farmers feed low cost and low quality feed to animals in winter then become disappointed with animal conditioning come spring. While the cost of overwintering can be the majority of the yearly cost associated with the animal. By not maintaining conditioning you may be hurting yourself more in the long run. Thus, there is some benefit to analyzing some of the feedstuffs you will be feeding this winter. There are many books and online sources for general feedstuff nutrient values. These however, may not be relevant to some of the feeds you are planning to give this winter. Forage quality can be variable and often overlooked as an important part of any herbivores diet. Proper storage of all feedstuffs is also very important as it reduces loss of nutrient values.
Livestock facilities are an important part of keeping livestock comfortable. Too much dampness, drafts, and cold are just a few of the reasons a facility may not be helping you. Certain breeds of cattle are quite happy to be outside and only require a simple shelter for wind protection and a roof to keep out of the snow. Pigs will require a barn without drafts or excessive dampness and most likely insulated to keep them at a fairly warm temperature. Many farmers of chickens and pigs will actually heat their barn with propane or similar heaters to reduce feed costs. Whenever possible, facilities should include adequate feeders to permit the animal to eat more and spilling less. Feeding of hay on the ground for example is very wasteful and much of it ends up as bedding.
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