DENISON, Texas (KTEN) -- Taking care of the land and keeping animals cared for in sub-freezing temperatures is not an easy task.

"It's been a lot of work," said hobby farmer Forrest Parker.

"It's been tough; tough on both the animals and the ranchers taking care of the animals," added cattle rancher Drue Bynum.

Ranchers simply didn't have the option to sit inside and try to stay warm during this cold snap;  their animals still needed to be fed.

Even on the coldest days, cattle need food and water to stay warm.
Even on the coldest days, cattle need food and water to stay warm. (KTEN)

"It's a struggle," Bynum said. "It's no different than you and I -- we've got to have warmth. One way giving animal warmth is to make sure they have something to eat.

Bynum's effort was stymied by a power failure and slow or broken machinery. He had to get creative.

"I've fed more hay the past two weeks than I have the entire winter," Bynum said.

And fresh water is always a big for ranchers in a storm.

"Most of our tanks have got five or six inches of ice on top of them, so you've got to go bust a hole in that ice because those cattle have got to drink," Bynum explained.

"I've been getting water from them, and lately with the sun coming back out I'm collecting buckets of water from the melting snow that's on the roof," said Parker, whose goats are accustomed  to this kind of weather.

His chickens are a different story. They haven't been out of their coop since the snow fell.

"They're staying inside, and the ammonia from their waste produces heat," Parker explained.

Forrest Parker's poultry remained inside during the cold snap.
Forrest Parker's poultry remained inside during the cold snap. (KTEN)

Being trapped inside like many Texomans put Parker in a bind.

"Fortunately, we have propane for heat and cooking, but right now that's in short supply, so pretty sure we're going to be out on that," he said.

To make money, cattle ranchers head to the seller, but for the past two weeks, that option presented its own problems.

"Might not have been able to do that, but it's probably going to have little uptick and rise in the prices," Bynum said.

Both Bynum and Parker say their animals deal with severe cold a whole lot better than humans, but you have to keep them fed, watered and warm.