Winter Update On The Red Poll Girls

The cows glowed red in the setting sun:

And other times, they slept or lounged about, chewing their cuds:

They don't seem to mind the cold, but I feel sorry for them as they endeavor to eat the centers out of the hay bales because the outsides are frozen solid:

Violet is a pretty cow, but she's the least friendly of them all. She only likes me when I'm giving her grain or apples:

I keep moving the bale feeder each time I bring in new bales. This not only helps to keep a poop free area and bale feeder not frozen to the ground, but also leaves the cows a soft place on which to sleep. They'll have pooped this up by the time I move the bale feeder again:

Rosella is still the smallest cow, but then she's still young:

The bale feeder is on the broad east side of the barn for the winter because most of the wind comes from the west. This way, the girls have protection from the cold winds. They also have direct sun for the first half of the day, when it's the coldest:

A lazy, comfortable day of eating hay and pooping:

Scarlett is easily recognizable by the rise at the base of her tail and the white patch on her udder. Of course she also has a numbered ear tag, but sometimes that is not visible:

On the days with the worst weather, the girls collect inside the barn. Notice that their fur is so insulating that the snow doesn't melt off their backs. While it looks like it would miserable for them, it's really a good sign that they're not losing body heat:

And on some days, they really need a good, thick, insulating coat of fur:

Amy is the at the bottom of the pecking order but she doesn't fight it. I try to make sure she always gets plenty to eat and she's gained both weight and height since I've owned her. She's a docile animal and very likable: