Heat Stress Action Urged for Cattle

REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- The first big heatwave of the summer is upon a large portion of cattle country, which means livestock producers should take action to help prevent problems.

Kansas State University Beef Extension Veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff said cattle have a hard time adapting to the higher temperatures than other animals. "Heat stress coping behaviors is what we see when cattle are adapting to warmer temperatures. Whenever we get hot, we sweat to maintain homeostasis. For livestock species, and especially cattle, that capability gets overwhelmed," he said.

Some cattle will dissipate heat by panting. Besides this, producers can identify heat stress when cattle stand in large groups near water tanks and shaded areas. While the cattle are trying to increase airflow by standing, it is actually hampered by being bunched up in a group.

The primary weather conditions that contribute to heat stress include higher temperatures, humidity, slow wind speeds and increased solar radiation.

WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO BE HOT ALL WEEK

"A big heat ridge will be developing over the eastern half of the U.S. most of the week," said DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick. "A front will get stuck from the eastern Dakotas down toward the Texas Panhandle. It will be very hot and humid east of that front with temperatures well into the 90s and overnight lows only getting into the 70s."

Baranick said while it will be much cooler west of the front, it will still be warm in the afternoons. Many of the areas, especially south, will still break into the low 90s. But overnight lows will be able to cool off more because it won't be nearly as humid.

"The ridge will be shifting westward toward the Fourth of July holiday and we'll be seeing temperatures and humidity increasing going into the following week. Expect the heat that will be intense across the eastern half of the country move to the middle of the country for the second week of July," he explained.

PREPARE FOR EXTENDED HEAT

The heat could stick around for a while, which means it will be important to manage the well-being and performance of cattle through this time. Tarpoff said checking cattle during heat events is just as important as feeding and making sure they have adequate water.

He said it is important to follow the basics of providing proper feed and water. Water intake can nearly double as temperatures rise, thus having more water access is important. "We might be able to modify our feeding times to alleviate some of these stressors. Whenever we feed cattle, we feed rumen microbes, and that comes at a cost called the heat of fermentation," he explained. "We can feed later in the evening, so the digestion happens during the cooler nighttime hours."

Tarpoff also suggested providing additional shade to help with heat stress and noted a recent study showed increased feed efficiency, increased growth rate and increased average daily gain when cattle had shade and reduced panting rates and had good water availability.

Baranick said the extended heatwave could be broken up by some precipitation, but it will be mostly sporadic. Thunderstorms in the Northern Plains could keep temperatures from getting too extreme on some days, and the breeze will help give some relief to the heat.

For more information on caring for cattle during heatwaves, visit:

"Caring for Cattle During Heat Wave," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

"Tips to Protect Cattle From Heat," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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