With summertime officially here, so is the heat. While we are try to cope with the summer heat, it’s a tough time on our cattle. Here several articles that talk more about the effect of heat on cattle and how you can help.
A recent article, Guarding Against Cattle Heat Stress, mentions several ways to help your cattle minimize heat stress, including:
- Cattle that must be handled during hot weather should spend less than 30 minutes in the working facility.
- Make every effort to see that cool, fresh water is available to cattle in close confined areas for any length of time.
Another article, Heat Stress can Reduce Pregnancy Rates, describes research that shows how the heat stress has a direct effect on cow’s reproduction.
“They found that heat stress of beef cows from day 8 through 16 affected the weights of the conceptus (embryo, fluids, and membranes) and the increased body temperature may have formed an unfavorable environment for embryo survival. The percentage of pregnancies maintained throughout the week of severe heat stress was considerably reduced. “
What have you found helps your cattle handle the summer time heat?
Subscribe by Email
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Your article caused me to reflect on my cattle. We hit 100 degrees today and have been in the nineties for over a week. This herd has access to running streams and are often standing in them when temperatures are high. There is plenty of shade too.
The main concern is the embryo transfers that are scheduled- CDR’s were put in yesterday. I hope there is a break from the heat soon!
Hi Dotty
Thanks for your comment.
The heat is tough now, especially considering it will be like this for a few more months! Hope you and your cattle are doing well.
Penny
This is true about heat stress on cattle, that is why I try to wait till fall to do most of my cattle working. Of course I realize thats not always practical.
Thousands of Kansas cattle die in heat
SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. —
Cattle all across Kansas struggle to survive the continuing heat and humidity.
Tuesday, officials with Kansas Department of Health and Environment told Eyewitness News that 2300 cattle have died since late last week, in about 10 feedlots spanning from the Salina area to the Dodge City area.
The biggest problem is the humidity, not the heat.
Ken Powell, an environmental scientist with KDHE, says the deaths are overwhelming feedlots. They’re following state regulations to get rid of cattle carcasses by burying them.
——————-
Livestock owners blame the heat for killing hundreds of head of cattle in Kansas over the weekend.
The largest report came from the Ottawa County Feeders in Bennington. The owner said his cattle wouldn’t eat because it was too hot.
The owner says his business is a custom yard; which means the cattle belonged to his customers.
For the next month, no humans want to be outside in a Kansas summer.
“When the humidity gets high, that makes our heat worse,” said Joe Hite as he stood near his Angus cattle. His cattle don’t have that option. And with that Angus black hair, it’s even hotter. “So the black cattle do absorb heat moreso,” said Hite.
The Vice President of the Kansas Angus Association does the best he can. Hite keeps his cattle in a grassy and shaded Sedgwick County pasture. “If they can get underneath shade with the wind blowing on them and stuff,” he explained. “They can usually handle heat a lot better.”
His 8 year son Tanner helps in the best way he can. “We get some soap and water from the garden hose and we wash them.”
Now some cattle are more heat tolerant, and will stay out in the sun and heat more. For those who aren’t, the heat can kill them. One feedlot – which doesn’t have trees – recorded 18 cattle deaths this weekend, another 12, and so on. And that can be a very costly investment to lose. For some, it’s $2,500.
“Anytime you have a death loss, it’s going to cost you money,” said Hite. “That’s one thing you don’t want to do.”
Up the road and across the county line, Doug Entz does what he can. He ticked off two important points. “Try to make sure there’s no wind block from the south. It’s important they keep a breeze going, that keeps the heat index manageable. Access to plenty of water.”
He continued, “”It’s important to keep them cool, and help them get through this time frame.”
And that time frame continues through late August. So until then, expect to see a lot of farmers keeping an eye on their cattle, for the cash they bring in.
Cattle don’t eat when it’s too hot, and that’s the main reason they die. The lot owner in Ottawa County says it is adding an ingredient to the cattle feed – to keep the animals eating, and keep them alive.
Copyright © 2010, KWCH-TV
{ 1 trackback }