Younger cattle may prove more vulnerable to this week's blizzard conditions and cold snap, but the danger is minimal to most livestock.

"People knew it was coming. Most cattle are still out in the pasture," said Morton County Extension Agent Jackie Buckley. "Not everybody has weaned their calves yet."

She said the animals are durable and temperatures have not hit the extreme levels yet.

"The bigger problem is calves who have just been weaned. The stress could cause problems keeping them healthy. … When they miss their mothers, they're bawling, sometimes don't eat and drink," Buckley said. That can make them more prone to illness.

Creep feeders also help the producers with the younger animals as these are small enough only for calves to enter.

Buckley said most producers help livestock by delivering some hay and sometimes feed to them so they are eating something, and ensuring they are near water.

She added most people feeding calves have shelter belts.

Buckley said extra nutrition isn't required with the current temperatures. The animals are at little risk of losing body mass. "It's different when it's 20 below zero," she said.

Burleigh County Extension Agent ElRoy Haadem said extra calories aren't necessary for livestock at the current temperatures, but they'll take the extra food.

"Most producers have found enough hay, and there's still a lot of pasture land," he said.

Haadem expects most livestock producers will wait at least another month before going heavy into their feed supplies.

He agreed that with calves weighing in between 400 and 600 pounds at this stage, most are sturdier than newborns facing sub-zero temperatures in the spring.

Mark Ekerberg of the Pine Heart Veterinarian Clinic said this week's weather event should cause no major concerns for smaller critters.

"If you have an outside dog or hunting dog used to being outdoors, just make sure it has a place to stay out of the wind and that it's dry," he said. He said a good dog house should suffice, but there are heated dog houses if you are really concerned.

Ekerberg said thinly furred house dogs like Chihuahuas may be more comfortable in a sweater or jacket. If owners choose, there are booties for pets, he added.

Ekerberg said in severe sub-zero weather, you may consider putting your larger dogs indoors until temperatures rise.

He said many large breeds thrive in the weather and play in the snow.

(Reach reporter LeAnn Eckroth at 250-8264 or leann.eckroth@;bismarcktribune.com.)