Over the past weeks, we have seen the heat index go over 100 °F, and temperatures are still on the rise. If you have been spending time outside lately, you probably struggled with the hot (and some days humid) conditions. For the livestock is no difference. This is a challenging time for our cattle herds in the southeast and we need to be able to implement practices to help them keep healthy and cope with the hot weather. Here are five tips for avoiding heat stress in cattle herds:
- Monitor the weather closely and watch for heat stress in high-risk animals. Check the forecast often to be able to make arrangements, especially for days when the temperatures are expected to rise quickly and over 100 °F. Some animals may be at higher risk to suffer from heat stress due to previous respiratory diseases, for example. Make sure to watch those animals closely especially if the temperature is expected to increase rapidly from one day to another.
- Maintain a clean water trough for your cattle herd. Access to clean water is critical to help animals cope with higher temperatures. Water intake will increase with rising temperatures and requirements per animal can even double from 55 to 100 °F. Consider using additional water troughs if needed to meet requirements from the herd.
- Provide shade for your herd. Shade is important during hot days so animals can get out of direct sunlight and cool off. Depending on the shade location, during summer, animals might spend most of the day under the shaded areas ruminating, then go out to graze during cooler hours of the day. The location and comfort provided by the shade will interfere with that herd behavior. For example, if the shade is in the bottom where flies might swarm, the herd might choose to not use that area as much.
- Provide proper forage nutrition. Provide proper nutrition and adequate access to forage to your herd during hotter weather. Generally, we might see animal performance going down or maintaining steady during the summer months. Regulating the body temperature during the summer months requires more work and providing good forage quality to animals can help them generate less heat during digestion.
- Learn the signs of heat stress in cattle. Heavy breathing and drooling/foaming at the mouth can be signs of stress. If you notice signs of heat stress, stop working the animals and allow them to drink water and have access to shaded areas to cool down. If you see signs of heat stress in any animal, stop working them. In general, it is better to plan to work them in the early AM or later in the day during the summer months.
Take care of yourself as well. Maintain proper hydration, use sunscreen and a hat outside and make sure to take breaks in the shade throughout the day when working outside. We often do not realize how much we are sweating during summer and sometimes we might not be able to drink as much water to replenish that evaporated liquid throughout the day. During harsh conditions, the intense exposition can cause insolation and other health issues.
Submitted by Liliane Silva, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist,
Forage-Livestock Systems, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
