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Cold weather and the snow, sleet and freezing rain that come with it makes some people bring their smaller pets such as cats and dogs inside until it warms up. But at the David M. Barton Agriculture Research Center, farm manager Collin Schabbing and student workers have to brave the freezing temperatures to care for the university's cattle.

Schabbing watches the forecast closely, and when an extreme cold snap is coming, he and the student workers take action.

Schabbing said all of the cattle are brought in from open pastures to pens where they have access to shelter.

"We're moving everybody around, making sure everybody has some sort of shelter so they can get out of the freezing rain, snow, sleet, even the wind," Schabbing said.

Schabbing said cattle get extra grain and hay during cold weather, and they also have to make sure water troughs don't freeze over.

"We're feeding a little bit extra grain to give the cows a little bit more energy," Schabbing said.

Student worker Andrew Minson simplified this thought.

"The more they eat, the warmer they are," Minson said.

Minson added that a top priority is keeping newborn calves out of the elements.

"We brought them [baby calves] in, put them on shavings to keep them a little bit warm and out of the wind," Minson said.

Minson said that heat lamps are hung over the newborns, all in an effort to keep them comfortable.

"The biggest thing is we just want to keep them warm," Minson said. "We give them heat lamps, that way the calves don't get too cold on us."

It all adds up to extra work in the freezing temperatures for Schabbing and the student workers, but it has to be done to keep the university's cattle in tip-top shape.