Q When it's really cold -- below-zero temperatures with windchills lower than that -- what happens to cattle without shelter? Isn't there a law protecting them?
A Cattle in inclement weather will do what wild animals do: go to an area of shelter, said Keith Streff, director of investigations with the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley. That can be a low-lying area, a swamp, a grove of trees or forest.
Minnesota's animal welfare laws generally require that animals have protection from the elements, Streff said. If not available naturally, he added, most reasonable producers provide a windbreak, lean-to or pole barn with one side open for their cattle.
"Typically, if fed and watered well, [cattle are] capable of handling any weather Minnesota dishes out," Streff said. "In fact, they do quite well."
When investigating a complaint, Streff said he looks at the overall health and welfare of the animals involved. An intervention would occur if cows and cattle in an open plain had no visible shelter and were lethargic, dehydrated and couldn't get up, he said.
On the other hand, even if there weren't a visible shelter, he wouldn't intervene if the animals were alert and active, with feed and water readily available.
Mercury thermometers? Q I have large, round thermometers on my deck with pictures of birds and stuff. Do they have mercury in them? What if they fall and break?
A No, these common backyard thermometers don't contain mercury. Rather they rely on a spring, a coiled piece of metal that is sensitive to heat. One end of the spring is attached to the pointer. As the air heats, the metal expands and the pointer moves higher. As the air cools, the metal contracts and the pointer moves lower. Typically, this type of thermometer is less accurate than bulb or digital thermometers.
