Back to BlogWinter Cattle Care in Jammu & Kashmir: Feeding Through the Cold Season
Winter in Jammu and Kashmir is not merely an inconvenience for dairy farmers — it is a survival challenge for their cattle. When Kashmir Valley temperatures plunge to -10°C and occasionally touch -20°C, a cow's body diverts enormous energy from milk production to staying alive. Without a deliberate winter feeding strategy, milk yields can crash by 40 to 50 percent between November and March, and health consequences can extend well into summer. This guide provides practical strategies for keeping J&K dairy herds productive through the cold months.
Jammu vs Kashmir: Two Different Dairy Worlds
The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir encompasses two dramatically different dairy environments. The Jammu division — particularly the districts of Udhampur, Kathua, and Samba — sits in the Shivalik foothills with a subtropical climate similar to Punjab's. Winters here are cool but manageable, with minimum temperatures rarely dropping below 2 to 4°C. The Kashmir division, by contrast, endures three to four months of sustained cold, with the famous "Chillai-Kalan" period (December 21 to January 31) bringing the harshest conditions. Dairy management strategies must account for these fundamentally different realities.
Bakerwal Pastoralism and Settled Dairy
J&K's dairy tradition includes the Bakerwal community, nomadic pastoralists who move their herds of goats, sheep, and cattle between high alpine pastures in summer and low-altitude areas in winter. While Bakerwal pastoralism focuses primarily on small ruminants, settled dairy farming with crossbred cattle has expanded rapidly in both divisions over the past decade. Jersey crossbreds have proven particularly successful in the Kashmir Valley districts of Pulwama, Shopian, and Anantnag, where progressive farmers manage herds of 3 to 10 cows under semi-intensive housing systems.
Winter Housing Requirements
Proper housing is the first defence against cold stress. A Kashmir Valley dairy barn should be enclosed on three sides with brick or timber walls, with the open side facing south to capture winter sunlight. Ventilation near the roof prevents moisture buildup and respiratory disease. Bedding of straw or dried leaves should be 6 to 8 inches thick and changed every 3 to 4 days. Insulated water troughs that prevent freezing are essential, as cattle reduce water intake by 30 to 40 percent if offered ice-cold water, directly suppressing feed intake and milk output.
Energy-Dense Winter Feeding
The core principle of cold-weather nutrition is straightforward: increase energy intake to compensate for thermoregulation. For every 10°C below the lower critical temperature (approximately 5°C for acclimatised cattle), energy requirements increase by 10 to 13 percent. A Kashmir Valley cow producing 10 litres in autumn needs 20 to 30 percent more concentrate during peak winter — increasing from 4 kilograms to 5 to 5.5 kilograms daily.
Warm Water: The Overlooked Necessity
Offering water at 15 to 20°C instead of near-freezing temperatures increases intake by 25 to 30 percent, directly supporting feed consumption and milk production. Progressive farmers in Udhampur and Kathua use solar water heaters or biomass stoves to warm water before offering it to cattle. A lactating cow should receive 60 to 80 litres of tempered water daily, offered at least three times.
Hay Storage Techniques
Kashmir's long winter demands 4 to 6 months of stored dry fodder. Stack bales on raised platforms to prevent ground moisture contact, cover with tarpaulins, and ensure air circulation between stacks. Rice straw and oat hay are the primary stored forages in Kashmir, while maize stover and wheat straw dominate in Jammu. Good-quality hay maintains 7 to 9 percent crude protein; mouldy hay drops below 5 percent and should be discarded.
Metabolic Challenges in Cold Weather
Cold-stressed cattle face elevated risk of ketosis, milk fever, and fatty liver syndrome, especially around calving. Reduced feed intake combined with increased energy demand and late-pregnancy metabolic disruption creates ideal conditions for metabolic disease. Nutricana's Transition Care 90D, formulated with 24 percent crude protein, 7 percent crude fat, and balanced anionic salts, addresses these risks. For J&K winter calvers, start Transition Care 90D at least 30 days before calving and continue for 60 days postpartum.
Progressive Dairy Farmers of the Jammu Region
Udhampur, Kathua, and Samba districts have a growing community of progressive dairy farmers maintaining herds of 10 to 20 crossbred cows and achieving 12 to 18 litres per animal year-round. Nutricana products are available through authorised dealers in the Jammu region, with technical feeding advisory support for dairy farmer groups across these districts.
Preparing for Winter: A Timeline
September: Plant oats and berseem. October: Begin hay procurement and storage; repair barn walls and roofing. November: Gradually increase concentrate by 0.5 kilograms per cow per week; ensure water heating is functional. December-February: Maintain peak concentrate feeding; offer warm water three times daily; monitor body condition fortnightly. March: Gradually reduce concentrate as temperatures rise and green fodder returns. This disciplined approach ensures herds enter spring in good condition, ready for peak lactation.
