Preparing For Heat Stress In Cattle
Make plans to protect cattle in the hot summer grazing months.
April 30, 2012
Summer heat waves pose a serious danger to cattle. It’s not only the death loss, but also the loss in performance and the potential for poorer reproductive performance of bulls and breeding females caused by heat stress that cause economic harm to beef producers. Taking some steps now to plan ahead will put producers in a better position to deal with heat waves when and if they occur.
The amount of stress that cattle are under is affected by both the air temperature and the relative humidity. The combination of high temperatures and high relative humidity is particularly dangerous, especially when there is little to no nighttime cooling.
Producers can use this information, plus livestock heat advisory alerts, to prepare for forecasted heat waves. Planning ahead is critically important as it’s too late to prevent problems after cattle are already under heat stress.
While heat-related losses can affect any class of cattle, in general, cattle in confinement are at greater risk. There is typically greater air movement in a pasture, and in some cases greater opportunities for cattle to seek shade or ponds to cool off. Also, cattle fed on concrete or on a dark soil surface will have a greater exposure to radiant heat compared to cattle on grass.
Water access is vitally important to maintain the well-being of cattle during hot weather. Water consumption may be 20 gals./head at 90°F., twice as high compared to 70°F., and 50% greater than at 80°F. The capacity of your water system is also important. Some experts recommend having enough reserve capacity to provide half the animals’ daily needs in one hour, or to have three linear inches of trough access per head. In some cases, producers might need to bring in extra tanks.
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