Keeping Your Herd Cool Pays Off

How to prevent heat stress in cattle this summer.

- By Mariah Squire Digital

As temperatures increase and summer brings stifling heat, now is the time to ensure your operation follows best practices for keeping cattle cool.

“Producers should keep in mind weather factors and be more observant going into a span of hot weather, particularly those humid, muggy days,” said Jason Banta, Extension beef cattle specialist with Texas A&M University’s AgriLife Research and Extension Center.

Heat stress in cattle shows up in symptoms such as slobbering and restlessness, according to University of Missouri Extension beef specialist Eric Bailey. Chronic heat stress can lead to long-term issues such as decreased fertility and weight gain, he said.

To successfully combat heat stress in your herd this summer, focus on these key areas with strategies from the experts.

Recognize Water’s Crucial Role

Water intake should be your top consideration when aiming to reduce or manage heat stress.

During heat stress, cattle lose water from increased respiration and perspiration, so their water requirements increase during those times, said Iowa State University Extension beef veterinarian Grant Dewell. Consuming water is also the fastest way for cattle to reduce their core body temperature, Dewell said, so consumption during heat stress events is greater than normal.

Dewell advised 3 inches of linear water space per head during the summer. “The water supply should be able to deliver 1.1% of body weight of the cattle per hour. A 1,000-pound animal needs about 1½ gallons of water per hour,” he said.

An aspect some producers don’t think about is shading the metal feed and water troughs from the sun, Banta noted. “If those feed and water troughs are left out in the sun, they will heat up rapidly,” he said. “In order for the water source to have a cooling effect on the cattle, the drinking trough needs to be located in the shade.”