For years, cattlemen have relied on temperature and humidity predictions to gauge the potential for heat stress on both their cattle and themselves. However, other factors play into that calculation and the Ag Research Service has developed a heat stress model to help cattlemen predict which days are apt to be most critical.
In addition to temperature and humidity, sun intensity and wind speed are influential as well. The on-line model, developed by USDA researchers at the Meat Animal Research Center at Clay Center, NE, is updated twice daily and makes predictions for South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, eastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico and northern Texas. It analyzes weather forecast info, assesses the danger of incurring heat stress and displays that info as a color-coded map. For more, go to the Ag Research Service website.
