"Does cattle insurance exist out there at all? Forgive me for being entirely ignorant on the issue. I'm of the opinion that a little cheap technology could go a long way in generating just enough heat to improve cattle survival rates. BUt there is no way for me to estimate for sure without sending a few prototypes for ranchers to try for themselves."

What I've been reading are the ones who had insurance are finding it won't pay, or doesn't want to pay. There are conflicting determinations of the term "drowned". Figures doesn't it?

To put a blanket on a 1300lb cow, you would need to restrain her (put her in a chute). She'd probably have the thing torn off in about 24hours as this is something not in their nature. There's also a possibility of stampeding the rest of the herd because of appearance and an unfamiliar sound of the material.

Some years ago, I read somewhere that to warm a baby calf a guy poked a hole in a big black trash bag and stuck it over the baby. The hole was for it's head. When the calf was warm enough he (theoretically) would stand up and tear the trash bag away. Holy Batman. Did I ever have a mess with that first calf in a trash bag. Never again. The sight of 300+ cows headed south at a high rate of speed wasn't good.  :shock: Mom wasn't interested in claiming a calf in a trash bag either.