Greenbrier County farmers work hard to keep animals happy and he - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Greenbrier County farmers work hard to keep animals happy and healthy

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LEWISBURG -

While some people are hiding out indoors during this ice cold blast, others have been spending more time outside making sure their business is staying alive.
We're talking about farmers in Greenbrier County where 59 news found out are working significantly harder in the freezing temperatures.
As the steer are getting pelted with snow this winter, Jennifer Jones with Swift Level beef is working harder than ever to keep her animals healthy.
She says all her animals eat and drink about twice as much when it's cold out.
And that's also true for the outsiders.
She said, "I have to close them in at night so they are not a nice warm feathery meal for someone else.
She said, "When the weather is frigid like this you just have to pay close attention to your animals not once a day but two or three times a day to make sure they're okay. Otherwise it's a loss and most people in this valley farm very seriously and if you lose an animal you lose a lot of money."
Jones said her calves require the most attention, morning until night.
She said, "Putting their feed out of the wind at night is what I'll do tonight. They lose more calories in the wind so why feed them in the wind."
She said her pig, Amelia, likes warm water which she brings to her.
And then there's the big furry Great Pyrenees to brave the cold and protect the whole farm.
She said, "These three dogs stay here in this immediate vicinity and they watch out for issues like coyote."
Jones said the winter months are always hard on her animals but the past few days have been exceptionally hard on them and on her as she works outside all day keeping up with the workload.