Beef Heat Stress

Keep Animals Safe and Healthy During Excessive Heat

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:25:56 GMT

Excessive heat will once again blast much of the U.S. this week, with heat indices predicted to reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit or more in many locations. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign animal welfare expert Angela Green-Miller says pets and livestock are at risk, and it’s up to humans to keep them safe.

Green-Miller runs the Animal Welfare, Environment, and Sustainability Laboratory as an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at Illinois.

Green-Miller answers common questions from pet owners and livestock producers.

First of all, how do animals cool themselves?
Different animals use different methods, but some broad brush-strokes for all animals include seeking shade and shelter, lowering activity and feed intake to keep metabolism down, and drinking more water. Any of the cooling strategies we would use, they would use too.

Don’t some animals not sweat? How do they keep cool?
That’s true. Dogs and pigs, for example. They dissipate heat through panting, defecation, and urination. They may increase those activities, which makes it that much more important to replenish their water supply.

What can humans do to help animals when it’s hot? Let’s start with pets.
Anything you would do for yourself, you could do for them. Bring them into the air conditioning, if possible, make sure they have access to plenty of water, and try to have them rest indoors or in the shade during the hottest part of the day. For outdoor animals, shade is critically important. Also, if they can be elevated from hot surfaces, such as on an elevated bed, that will let air circulate around them and remove some of that heat.

What about livestock?
We need to make sure the air is moving, bringing fresh air into the barn, even if it’s hot outside. The animals are contributing energy and heat into the environment, so the more of that we can move out, the better. And moving air over their body surface helps them release some of that energy.

For animals in indoor confinement, producers can alter lighting and feeding schedules. The idea is for them to rest during the hottest part of the day, so keep the lights down and withhold feed until it starts to cool down. That’s not an uncommon strategy, but there may be some producers out there who could use a reminder.

It’s also critical to ensure that water lines are working and that there’s fresh water flowing. Double-check those drinkers a little more frequently to make sure they’re not clogged. This is the time of year when we emphasize the critical nature of maintenance. If there’s any deferred maintenance, bump it up to the top of the priority list because a broken fan in this type of weather is one of the worst situations we can have.

What are the potential economic impacts of excessive heat on the livestock industry? Are there predictable dips in productivity every summer?
Absolutely. Feed intake is reduced during heat events, so we see dips in productivity. They’re also losing energy in the form of heat instead of putting it toward growth. We see reproductive impacts as well. Breeding rates tend to drop whenever there’s a heat event, and sometimes we see gestational impacts as well, especially in animals that are late in gestation.

5 Strategies to Help Cattle Cope with Heat

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 14:53:05 GMT

High temperatures and high humidity are not an ideal combination for cattle. According to Erin Laborie, Nebraska Extension educator, cattle do not handle heat stress as well as humans do.

The range of temperatures in which cattle do not use additional energy to maintain core body temperature is referred to as the thermoneutral zone. This zone generally ranges from 32°F to 75°F for cattle but can vary depending on metabolic size.

When temperatures exceed the upper critical temperature, cattle expend energy in an attempt to dissipate heat. Panting and elevated respiration and heart rate are signs this is occurring. When temperatures remain above 70°F during the night, cattle are unable to recover before the next episode of heat exposure.

Heat stress can result in reduced intake and gains and — in extreme cases — can lead to death.

AJ Tarpoff, DVM and Kansas State University extension veterinarian, says producers should look for drool as an early sign of heat stress. Then panting begins, which progresses to open mouth panting and a visible effort to breathe.

While cattle producers can’t control the heat, there are some things they can do to help cattle cope with high temperatures and humidity. Consider these tips from Michigan State University Extension to make sure your cattle stay comfortable:

Avoid handling, transporting, moving or processing cattle.
Reschedule anything that will add stress to cattle, like gathering, turning bulls out or preconditioning if it’s an option. If cattle must be handled, work them in the early morning hours using low-stress handling techniques. Problems often occur during stressful events.

Cattle’s core temperature peaks two hours after the peak environmental temperature. It also takes at least six hours for cattle to dissipate their heat load. Therefore, if the peak temperature occurred at 4 p.m., cattle will not have recovered from that heat load until after midnight. It will be later than that before cattle have fully recovered from the entire day’s heat load.

Have a backup plan ready if power or water systems fail.
Offer additional water.
Make sure cattle have access to plenty of clean water, and that there is enough access space for all cattle — including calves — to get to water. The water requirements of cattle increase during heat stress. Cattle lose water from increased respiration and perspiration. Consumption of water is the quickest method for cattle to reduce their core body temperature. The rule of thumb is to have 3" of linear water space per head during the summer.

Multiple cattle need to be able to drink at the same time. Waterers should be kept clean and cool.

Cattle prefer water between 40°F to 65°F. Water intake decreases when water temperature exceeds 80°F.

Ideally, water sources should not be exposed directly to the sun. Producers can help keep the water cooler by ensuring that the water lines are covered by grass in the fence rows.
Provide shade.
If you have the option, move cattle to a pasture that offers shade, or use portable windbreak panels to create shade.

During heat stress days, shade is critical especially for dark-haired, fleshy, young and older cattle. Shade can easily be provided by allowing access to pasture with trees or access to open buildings. If shaded pasture acres are limited, avoid grazing them during the days with normal temps to allow forage to be there when heat stress temperatures arrive.

To be effective, there needs to be 20 sq. ft. to 40 sq. ft. of shade per animal. If using a mechanical shade structure, an east-west orientation will permit the ground under the shade to remain cooler. However, if mud is an issue, a north-south orientation will increase drying as the shade moves across the ground during the day. The height of the shade structure should be greater than 8' tall to allow sufficient air movement under the shade.
Supply adequate ventilation.
Increasing the air flow can help cattle cope with extreme heat events. Wind speed has been associated with the ability of cattle to regulate their heat load. Although producers cannot influence wind speed, they can ensure there are no restrictions to air movement such as hay storage, tall vegetation or wind breaks.

If cattle are being fed and housed in an enclosed barn or building, use fans to move air through the building, open the sides of the barn or provide access to an outside pen or pasture with shade. Using sprinklers in this situation can potentially intensify the problem and create more humidity without proper air movement to remove it from the building.
Consider surface area.
Access to surfaces that are covered with vegetation will help cattle keep their temperatures lower.

The Temperature Humidity Index chart and your state’s mesonet cattle comfort index can be helpful in determining when cattle are at risk for heat stress.

“Being proactive rather than reactive is important for avoiding any train wrecks when it comes to heat stress,” Laborie sumarizes.

Your Next Read: Beat the Heat: Essential Tips for Cooling Cattle Effectively

July Weather Outlook: Goodbye Rain, Hello Heat

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 22:13:00 GMT

The Pacific Jet Stream has been going strong since early spring, sending heavy rains down through the Ohio River Valley, delaying farmers’ planting efforts there, then more recently, moving large amounts of moisture into the central Corn Belt.

“Nobody would have thought three months ago that we were going to have this much rain occurring across key crop areas, especially in the southern half of the Plains and in the Delta and Tennessee River Basin,” says Drew Lerner, president and senior agricultural meteorologist of World Weather.

But be advised, the engine driving that jet stream is about to turn off, says John Hoomenuk of EmpireWeather.com . He anticipates that by early July, some farmers will see those heavy rain events turn into a trickle.

Weather outlook for early July.

(BAM Weather)

Weather Brewing For July

“As we get into the second week of July or so, we’ll see the ridge push a little further north, and we’ll see some drier forecasts starting to appear, starting in Kansas and Nebraska, and then spreading a little bit into southwestern and central Iowa at times as well,” Hoomenuk says.

“That’s really caught our attention, because we just haven’t seen that [pattern] so far this year, and it’s a pretty big change compared to where we’ve been,” he adds.

As July goes on and August nears, Hoomenuk says the weather data indicate the jet stream will go up into Canada and drop into the Great Lakes.

If that occurs, he says farmers in Indiana, Illinois and Ohio are likely to get some precipitation dropping on the east side of the ridge. But across the Central Plains, Kansas, Nebraska, Dakotas, and maybe even into parts of Iowa, farmers will see their conditions trend a little drier.

“I think that’s not a huge concern just yet, but it’s a pretty big change up compared to where we’ve been the last couple of weeks,” Hoomenuk told AgriTalk host, Chip Flory, on Tuesday.

Drought Risks Remain In Place

The outlook for drier weather in July is not a surprise, based on the patterns some meteorologists saw shaping up last winter.

“The central United States is at about a 60% drought risk. Some of the best weather forecast models we have out there are trying to put the epicenter of that drought somewhere between Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and southern Minnesota by the time we get into July and August,” says Eric Snodgrass, principal atmospheric scientist for Nutrien.

Much of the western U.S. has been enduring dry, hot conditions already this year. Much of the central Midwest is about to experience the same.

(The National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.)

“When you think about those particular states, developing drought from spring to summer in any year is somewhere in the neighborhood of 28% to 38%,” he says. “Essentially, the risk is doubled this year.”

Snodgrass explains the canary in the coal mine for a drought will come from a combination of the Gulf of Alaska ocean temperatures and the Bermuda high, which is an area of high pressure that can influence weather patterns and tropical systems. If the Gulf of Alaska ocean temperatures begin dropping this summer, that’s a sign moisture will be lacking.

The silver lining, Hoomenuk says, is many farmers have either had excess or sufficient moisture this spring, so no alarm bells have been ringing yet for corn and soybean crops that are now in rapid growth.

His concern is the current weather patterns will stagnate, causing temperatures to rise.

“Most of the long-range data we’re seeing, if you look at July as a whole, is showing some pretty substantial [temperature] numbers in the Central Plains. We’re talking somewhere between four and five degrees above normal in some areas of Kansas and Nebraska, two or three degrees above normal for the month on average, surrounding that in parts of southwestern Iowa and the Dakotas,” he says.

As for states further east, such as Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, Hoomenuk says farmers there will likely see temperatures “closer to normal” for July, based on data he’s reviewed.

“The thing I keep seeing is temperatures looking to be about normal, maybe slightly warmer than normal – just a couple days of heat followed by a cool down and some rain, which is is pretty ideal,” he says. “It doesn’t seem like we’ll get into that long-term heat there in those eastern regions of the U.S, so the concern level out there is pretty low right now heading into July.”

Your next read: Crop Quality in the Midwest: Most States Soar, Some Flounder

Beat the Heat: Essential Tips for Cooling Cattle Effectively

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 12:29:33 GMT

Cattle incapable of relieving themselves of high temperatures experience heat stress. Humans alleviate overheating through sweating, but Kansas State University Beef Extension Veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff says cattle do not have that option.

“Heat stress coping behaviors is what we see when cattle are adapting to warmer temperatures,” he says. “Whenever we get hot, we sweat to maintain homeostasis. For livestock species, and especially cattle, that capability gets overwhelmed.”

Tarpoff adds, “They dissipate heat in other ways like increasing their respiratory rate (breathing) by panting.”

Besides panting, producers identify heat stress by their increased standing, large groups of animals bunching up close to water tanks and crowding in shaded areas.

“They’re trying to get increased airflow by standing, but they actually end up using each other as shade which is counter-productive,” Tarpoff said.

High temperatures and humidity, slow wind speeds and increased solar radiation comprise the four weather conditions contributing to heat stress.

“When we’re comfortable, cattle might not be and vice versa. We really need to consider those four key parameters,” Tarpoff says. “We have an animal comfort index that uses the four of them to get a feel on how cattle are experiencing their environment.” Monitor the animal comfort index in Kansas through the K-State Mesonet.

Correctly managing heat stress has proven to be essential for maximizing animal wellbeing and performance, according to Tarpoff.

“It is one of those critical chores just as important as feeding or making sure the animals have water. Whether we are asking them to be good cows or an animal to produce beef in a feedlot, we need to put them in scenarios where they’re more comfortable because then they are more productive,” he says.

Tarpoff urges operations housing their cattle in dry lots to keep it simple when developing a plan to lessen the consequences of heat stress.

“Whenever it comes to heat stress, it’s back to the basics: feed and water. Water intake can nearly double as temperatures rise from 70 to 90 degrees (Fahrenheit). We need more water access, flow and availability for those animals,” he says.

He adds: “We might be able to modify our feeding times to alleviate some of these stressors. Whenever we feed cattle, we feed the rumen microbes, and that comes at a cost called the heat of fermentation. We can feed later in the evening, so the digestion happens during the cooler nighttime hours.”

Producers often construct shades to cool off cattle in times of unrelenting heat. A recent study conducted by K-State researchers looking at effects of shade on heat stress revealed that shade structures can impact more than just animal temperature.

“They are a piece of infrastructure,” Tarpoff says. “That two-year trial showed added benefits of investing in shades. We saw increased feed efficiency, increased growth rate and increased average daily gain. We also saw reduced panting rates and water consumption needs by over a gallon per head per day.”

Additionally, bedding pens with straw can reduce the pen floor temperature by 25 degrees and fence-line sprinklers help lower ground temperatures and keep cattle cool if used in the overnight hours, according to Tarpoff.

Your Next Read: Data-Driven Approach to Breeding Decisions Ensures Consistent Bulls

Providing Shade Lowers Heat Stress in Growing Cattle

Thu, 22 May 2025 17:12:17 GMT

Heat stress can create challenges for cattle as their thermal neutral zone is less than humans. Cattle are comfortable with cool temperatures, and more affected by the heat. More research is being done about heat stress in cattle during the feeding and growing periods.

During the summers of 2021 and 2022, two growing heifer studies were conducted at Kansas State University to evaluate impacts of limit feeding a high-energy ration at 2.2% of body weight daily on a dry matter basis in combination with shade.

The results showed cattle with shade performed better.

An increase in animal comfort was attributed to reduced solar radiation exposure in shaded pens, leading to lower heat load during the summer.

When shade is provided during times of heat stress, the results of the study showed:

improved average daily gain by 7%
increased feed intake by 6%
improved feed efficiency by 4%
improved cattle comfort (measured by panting scores)
reduced water usage (consumption) by 11%

Further studies on mitigating heat stress
Madeline Mancke, a doctoral student at K-State, recently shared on the BCI Cattle Chat podcast about her research that was sparked by producer questions relative to effective heat mitigation, specifically in fed cattle and feedyard scenarios.

The study included a randomized control trial at a feedyard in the Pacific Northwest with roller compacted concrete pen.

“They were interested in the effect of shade on steer performance after terminal sorts,” Mancke says. “We allocated about 8,000 head of animals into that trial, with 12 pens under shade and 12 pens with no shade. Each animal had about 30 square feet of 100% solar block.

The trial evaluated several different measurements including performance, behavior, and animal welfare components. Researchers were able to follow the cattle all the way through the packing plant.

“We found we had better carcass performance coming out of shaded pens,” Mancke says. “Higher quality grades Prime and Choice came out of shaded pens and less dark cutters. We also found a decrease in the amount of railers or animals that got culled earlier than their pen mates.”

In addition, Mancke notes decreased panting behavior and a decrease in water consumption.

“We found about a 15% decrease in water consumption with the inclusion of a shaded pen,” she says. “As far as feed delivery goes, we saw no differences in the shaded pens when it started getting hot out and when you think of cattle going off feed in the heat. In the unshaded pens, we saw a decrease [in consumption] when that temperature humidity index increased, however, we did not see the shaded pens going off feed with that increasing temperature.”

Clinical sciences professor Bob Larson says a 15% decrease in water consumption is meaningful.

“If you think about the number of head in a large feedlot, 15% reduction of water on a daily basis is significant,” he says. “Water is one of the resources that we’re really trying to kind of keep an eye on as we think about livestock production.”

The study took place after the terminal sort, which is about 60 days from the projected ship date.

Mancke is working on additional studies this coming summer to mitigate heat stress by adjusting feeding times.

“Rather than conventionally fed cattle, where we think of them getting fed between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. two to three times a day, we’re going to start feeding them after that,” she says. “That environmental max temperature is done for the day, so we’re going to try to offset that heat load and let them be able to eat throughout the night and not during that peak temperature during the day.”

Read more: “Shade Trees” Keeping Cattle Cool in Nebraska Feedyard

Early Shedding Cows Produce Heavier Calves at Weaning

Wed, 21 May 2025 17:13:50 GMT

Early summer hair shedding is a proven trait of economic relevance for producers in areas of increased heat and humidity and those grazing endophyte-infected (hot) fescue. University of Missouri research indicates hair shedding is important to more than just Southern cattle producers.

“Animals who shed their winter hair coat sooner are less likely to be exposed to heat stress in the summer,” says Jamie Courter, University of Missouri beef genetics extensions specialist. “These animals are also more likely to wean heavier calves and remain productive in a herd, for longer.”

Figure 1 shows the average weaning weight of calves born to dams who began shedding their winter coats between March and July. The average weight of a calf born to a dam that shed in March was 57.2 lb. heavier than those that shed in July.

Figure 1 shows the average weaning weight of calves born to dams who began shedding their winter coats between March and July.

(University of Missouri)

Research at the University of Missouri has found a relationship between hair shedding scores and length of daylight. Thus, hair shedding may serve as an indication of an animal’s ability to sense and respond to their environment.

Courter says the relationship makes hair shedding useful for producers outside the Southern U.S.

Hair-shedding Scores

Hair-shedding scores represent a visual appraisal of the extent an animal has shed their winter coat. Reported on a scale of 1 to 5, the lower the assigned score, the more hair an animal has shed. Half scores, such as 3.5, are not reported.

Hair shedding scoring system.

(. Adapted from Durbin et al., 2020. Genetics Selection Evolution 52:63)

Cattle tend to shed hair from the front to the back and from their topline to their belly (Figure 3), but there is individual animal variation in this pattern. Typically, animals begin shedding around their neck, followed by their topline. The last spots to shed are an animal’s lower quarter above its hock and its underline.

Figure 3. Diagram of typical hair shedding regions in cattle aligned to their hair shedding score. Cattle shed from head to tail, top to bottom, with some variation. Numbers represent areas where hair would be expected to shed for a given score.

(University of Missouri)

Courter says the time to evaluate cattle for hair shedding will vary by geographical location and environmental conditions. Animals should be scored when the most variation exists within the herd.

“There should be a few animals who receive a score of 1, a few who score a 5 and a majority receiving a hair shedding score of 3,” she explains.

Cattle begin shedding their winter coat in late spring through the summer. For many locations, mid-May has been identified as an ideal hair-shedding evaluation period. The hotter and more humid the climate, the earlier in the spring scores should be collected.

Hair shedding is a moderately heritable trait (h2=0.35 to 0.42). This means that incorporating a hair-shedding score into culling and replacement heifer selection decisions will result in genetic change over time.

“Although hair shedding has traditionally been associated with heat stress and fescue toxicosis, recent research shows this quick and easy phenotypic assessment of cattle could be a trait of even more economic importance,” Courter says. “With its moderate heritability, combining this score with a hair shedding EPD or score on bulls would result in positive genetic progress over time.”

Your Next Read: Spring Pastures Alert: Be Aware of Frothy Bloat Risk

Hair Shedding Can Affect Cattle's Heat Tolerance As Well As Profitability

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 15:03:49 GMT

Responsible beef breeding requires matching cattle genetics to the production environment. This is necessary for at least three reasons: profitability, animal well-being, and improved environmental impact. Cattle that are well-suited to their environment are more profitable. Not only are well-adapted cattle more productive, but they also require fewer inputs and interventions. It is estimated that cattle suffering from fescue toxicosis, and heat stress alone cost the beef industry over a billion dollars a year, according to research by MU Extension.

One way to manage animals for heat tolerance is looking at hair shedding.

Early summer hair shedding is a proven trait of economic relevance for producers in areas of increased heat and humidity and those grazing endophyte-infected (hot) fescue. Animals who shed their winter hair coat sooner are less likely to be exposed to heat stress in the summer. These animals are also more likely to wean heavier calves and remain productive in a herd, for longer. More information on hair shedding and heat tolerance can be found in MU Extension publication G2014, Hair Shedding Scores: A Tool to Select Heat Tolerant Cattle guide sheet.

More recently, a relationship between hair shedding scores and length of daylight has been found. Hair shedding may serve as an indication of an animal’s ability to sense and respond to their environment. Such a relationship would make hair shedding useful for producers outside the southern U.S.

Cattle shed from head to tail, top to bottom, with some variation. Numbers represent areas where hair would be expected to shed for a given score.

(MU Extension)

When is the best time to score my animals?

The time to evaluate cattle for hair shedding will vary by geographical location and environmental conditions. Animals should be scored when the most variation exists within the herd. There should be a few animals who receive a score of 1, a few who score a 5, and a majority receiving a hair shedding score of 3. Cattle begin shedding their winter coat in late spring through the summer. For many locations, mid-May has been identified as an ideal hair shedding evaluation period. The hotter and more humid the climate the earlier in the spring scores should be collected.

How often do I score my animals?

It is recommended that hair shedding scores be obtained on the whole herd once a year. While additional data is never detrimental, based on estimates of the heritability (h2 = 0.35 to 0.42) and repeatability (r = 0.44) of hair shedding, at least three years of data collection on an animal is ideal for genetic evaluation purposes.

How does age affect hair shedding?

Yearlings and first calf heifers tend to have higher hair shedding scores compared to older, established cows. This does not necessarily mean that younger animals should be culled right away. Younger cows are, by default, the most nutritionally stressed as they are growing/raising a calf while also growing themselves. Keeping that in mind, hair shedding scores can be used to rank and select females within an age group, but likely shouldn’t be used across the whole herd.

Should I score my bulls?

Providing half of the genetic potential to the next generation, obtaining a hair shedding score on bulls is of equal importance. For seedstock breeders, this serves as an act of customer service for potential buyers as well as knowledge for your breeding program. For commercial producers, it is an opportunity to make informed purchasing and breeding decisions. Please note that males tend to start shedding approximately two weeks before females.

What if I do not graze endophyte-infected fescue?

The genetic correlation of hair shedding while cattle are or are not grazing hot fescue is 0.93. Furthermore, when treated as two different traits, the estimated breeding value (EBV) for hair shedding either on or off fescue is 0.99. Therefore, hair shedding on or off endophyte-infected fescue can be treated as the same trait.

What if I do not live in the Southeastern U.S.?

Due to its association with heat tolerance and fescue toxicosis, hair shedding has been identified as a regional trait of interest. The genetic relationship between hair shedding score and daylight may allow these scores to indicate an animal’s ability to adapt to changes in their environment. This would make hair shedding a globally applicable selection criterion.

What if I do not have a hair shed EPD to use?

Hair shedding is a moderately heritable trait (h2 = 0.35 to 0.42). This means that incorporating a hair shedding score into culling and replacement heifer selection decisions will result in genetic change over time.

This information was compiled from University of Missouri Extension. Original authors include Jamie Courter, State Beef Genetics Extension Specialist, Jared Decker, Associate Professor, Animal Sciences and Jordan Thomas, Assistant Professor, Animal Sciences.

For more information on hair shedding visit MU Extension.

Working with Cattle in the Heat

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:55:04 GMT

As temperatures rise across the country and many regions are seeing triple digits, plus high humidity, cattleman producers are thinking of ways to keep themselves and their livestock comfortable.

Paul Beck of Oklahoma State University Extension offers information about how to evaluate cattle comfort and best practices for working cattle in the heat.

Beef Cattle Temperature Humidity Chart

(Eirich and Woosoncroft, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension)

The Beef Cattle Temperature Humidity Chart (Figure 1), which helps determine the risk level of heat stress given the temperature and the relative humidity. The higher the humidity the lower the temperature that is cause for concern.

In hot summer conditions, heat transfer failures cause accumulation of body heat resulting in heat stress, reduced performance, animal discomfort, or death. When animals experience discomfort from heat stress, their behaviors change to reduce heat load (increased water consumption, decreased feed intake, seeking shade, standing in water, etc.), Beck says.

The USDA Meat Animal Research Center published a scoring system to define heat stress in cattle based on panting score. This is a good indicator of heat stress because panting increases as the heat load increases. This scoring system is from 1 to 6, with 1 being slightly stressed to 6 being near death.

Score—Description
0—Normal respiration, no sign of heat stress
1—elevated breathing rate, restless, spend increased time standing
2—elevated breathing rate, slight drooling, most animals standing in pen and restless, animals may group together
3—elevated breathing rate, excessive drooling or foaming, most animals standing in pen and restless, animals may group together
4—elevated breathing rate, open mouth breathing, possible drooling, most animals standing in pen and restless, animals may group together
5—elevated breathing rate with pushing from flanks, open mouth breathing with tongue protruding, possible drooling, most animals standing in pen and restless
6—open mouth breathing with tongue protruding, breathing is labored, respiration rate may decrease with pushing from flanks while breathing, head down, not necessarily drooling, individual animals may be isolated from herd

Water
Water intake per unit of feed intake is twice as high during the summer than in the winter. Evaporation of moisture from the respiratory tract through panting is an important way for the animal to lose excess heat load. So, during heat stress water space availability becomes very important. During heat stress the linear water space increases from about 1 inch per head to 3 inches per head to allow for sufficient access to water. When temperatures are above 40° F, water intake should increase by 1 gallon for every 10° F increase in temperature.

Shade
Shade has been found to be beneficial to feedlot cattle, the greatest benefit of shade for finishing cattle is at the onset of the heat stress event. Cattle with shade have lower respiration rates and body temperatures when temperatures increase. Under heat stress, shaded finishing cattle in feedlots have increased average daily gain, hot carcass weights and dressing percentage as well as improved feed efficiency.

Space
Cattle require 1.8 to 9.6 square yards per head depending on the size of the animal. Effective shade structure design depends on the thermal properties of the shade material, the ground cover under the shade, height of the structure, the amount of shade provided per animal, the level of ventilation (lower ventilation can trap heat under the structure), and the orientation of the structure. Shade structures should be at least 12 feet high to reduce direct solar radiation and increase air movement in the shelter. Metal shades effectively block direct solar radiation, but it can accumulate heat and radiate it on the animal. Shade cloth allows more air movement and heat dissipation. Providing shade, if designed correctly, is an effective strategy to reduce heat load by reducing heat accumulation from direct solar radiation and has animal welfare benefits that can improve performance.

Time
Finally, cattle handling should occur in the early morning before temperatures get too high. If there is little to no night cooling, cattle handling operations should be delayed until better conditions exist. Work cattle in small groups so that no groups are in holding areas longer than 20 to 30 minutes. Cattle should be handled easily to reduce stress and elevating core body temperature through increased activity.

Beck reminds livestock producers if you are not comfortable neither are your livestock, so take steps to increase comfort of livestock during heat stress events.

For more info:
https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/estimating-water-requirements-for-mature-beef-cows.html

https://beef.unl.edu/beefwatch/heat-stress-handling-cattle-through-high-heat-humidity-indexes

https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/clay-center-ne/marc/documents/heat-stress/recognizing-heat-stress/

Survive the Heat Wave: Expert Tips to Protect Cattle from Heat Stress

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 14:17:36 GMT

The heat is no joke, especially for cattle producers across the country as they look for ways to keep cattle cool and comfortable.

According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service, heat stress forecasts are and will continue to affect major cattle producing states over the next several days.

Heat Rages On

Producers in the middle and lower Great Plains region, as well as those in the Southeast, can expect “emergency” levels of heat through the middle of next week. A large portion of the U.S. will continue to experience alerting and dangerous levels, as well.

Based on a poll of cattle producers , many of the areas suffering dry or droughty conditions will remain at the heat stress epicenter.

One rancher, based north of Forth Worth, Texas, says his area has been scorched since late June, and feeding hay for 22 of the past 25 months is “getting old and very costly.”

Additionally, in central Texas, Pam Newman Williams notes pastures are terrible and with triple digit temperatures, there’s a severe fire danger.

Unfortunately, much of the U.S. will not see any large precipitation levels over the next seven days, according to the NWS Weather Prediction Center, with little to no relief to dry areas.

Combat the Heat

Cattle producer, Derek Pohl, Dorchester, Neb., has turned to water to help protect livestock during these stressful heat events.

In a video posted online, Pohl shows a portable water tank with a sprinkler attached spraying water on cattle in a pen.

Pohl notes he’s hauled almost 15,000 gallons of water so far to try to keep animals comfortable. While the lots aren’t pretty, it’s keeping cattle alive, he adds.

Along with spraying water on cattle in pens, there are additional considerations when working to help cattle through the heat.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln shares five things that may help your livestock in heat events.

1. Water—Not only is water effective when sprayed on livestock, it’s imperative that cattle have access to plenty of clean water and that there is enough access space for all cattle, including calves, to get the water they need.

2. Shade—If possible, move cattle to a pasture that offers shade, or use portable windbreak panels to help provide shade.

3. Air Movement—A slight breeze can make a world of difference, so give cattle the opportunity to get a little wind, if there is one.

4. Surface—Access to surfaces with vegetation will keep cattle cooler.

5. Additional Stress—Consider rescheduling any events that might add stress to cattle, including gathering, weaning or preconditioning.

While keeping livestock cool is a priority, be sure to take care of yourself as well. Consider these five things and apply them to your work on the operation. Stay hydrated and stay safe.

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Help Cattle Cope With Extreme Heat

Scorched to Belly-High: Cattle Producers’ Inside Look at Pasture Conditions

Protect Your Show Livestock from Heat Stress at the County Fair

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:55:31 GMT

Nothing says county fair week like a hot forecast. Don’t forget to prepare for the heat your animals will face at the fair.

Although heat stress is more commonly considered to occur in extreme temperatures, anytime the temperature exceeds 70 degrees, livestock are adversely affected. Heat stress causes increased respiration rate, suppressed appetite, fatigue and dehydration, all signs of a lowered immune response.

When getting animals ready for the fair, we want them to eat well, stay hydrated and be at their best. It’s clear that these expectations we put on our show livestock to perform at the highest level and look exceptional while doing so can become a challenge when temperatures rise.

Here are a few tips to make sure your show animals stay healthy and perform to their best ability under hot weather conditions.

1. Be proactive.
Don’t just react to changes in temperatures. Pay attention to the weather forecast and make decisions to the best of your ability based on what’s coming.

“It is a lot harder to bring down livestock’s body temperature once they are hot than it is to manage it before it rises,” says Shelia Grobosky of BioZyme Inc.

2. Create a comfortable environment.
Manage your animal’s environment to make it as comfortable as possible. Keep animals out of direct sunlight and provide a shaded setting. Manage air flow by using fans and misters.

“If you can provide an environment that minimizes exposure to the direct sunlight and allows for air to move through, even in the most extreme heat, you can drastically reduce the outside temperature,” Grobosky says. “Keeping bedding wet down and misting water in the air will also help cool the air that fans push through your facility.”

3. Modify your feeding program.
Livestock, like humans, don’t want to eat when it’s extremely hot. Consider feeding earlier in the mornings so animals have a chance to eat before it gets hot. Keep water sources in a shaded environment if possible. Make sure lines that serve as water sources are not exposed to heat that can result in the water in the lines getting extremely hot. When you are at the fair, make sure to offer cold, fresh water often.

(Farm Journal)

Photo by Karen Bohnert

4. Rinse animals multiple times throughout the day.
When you rinse animals with cool water, it helps drop their core temperature quicker than anything else you can do. When you rinse, focus on cooling their underline and head, Grobosky adds, as it will help them cool down faster. Don’t just get them wet, but allow cool water to run over them a while to help drop their body temperature.

5. Strategically plan when you haul to shows.
During hot periods of the year, hauling at night is the most ideal to help reduce the time they will be exposed to the heat. Adjust ventilation on your trailer to allow for adequate air flow while traveling.

6. Keep your schedule consistent.
When you are at the show, try to maintain the same schedule of caring for your stock. Feed early, rinse regularly and keep the air moving by using fans.

Fairs are fun because they provide lots of opportunities to visit with friends. Don’t lose your focus on the most important job you have at the fair – to care for your animals. You may not be able to escape the heat during summer shows, but you can turn that challenge into an advantage by preparing properly, Grobosky says.

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Speer: Data-driven Decision Making - Going Through The Middle

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 19:56:38 GMT

Several weeks ago, I highlighted the importance of data-driven decision making . To that end, there are really two parts of that process: 1) obtaining and seeing the evidence / data, and 2) demonstrating the commitment to act upon that information. To illustrate those principles, the column highlighted an illustration from the former VetLife Benchmark data.

Meanwhile, the Kansas Farm Management Association (KFMA) demonstrates the power of data from a different perspective. KFMA is a long-running program with consistent summaries year-after-year. Moreover, the cow/calf enterprise results represent the broader industry well as most participants in the program are mid-size operations. The most meaningful portion of KFMA’s enterprise results is the categorization of operations into thirds (top, middle, bottom) based on profitability.

The revenue side of the business always gets the most attention. That’s understandable because calf marketing is a significant and easily measurable event. To that end, producers generally equate the marketing check to the financial health of the operation.

But that’s a misnomer; marketing success does not equal business success. For example, during the past ten years (’12-thru-’21) the difference between the top and bottom profit groups in terms of marketing weight and price received is relatively small. Operations in the top-profit group averaged only $55/head more revenue versus the bottom-profit group.

What really matters is the mundane and tedious work that occurs on the expense side of the business; it’s far more important than revenue. During the same time frame, the top-profit group possessed an advantage of nearly $350/cow versus operations in the bottom tier. An overwhelming portion of that difference is directly attributable to differences in feed costs: the bottom group spent an extra $180/cow compared to feed costs among the top group.

Now, let’s put all this together in terms of overall profitability. During the past ten years, average per cow return to management values across the three groups were -$583, -$246, and $37 for the low, middle and high profit groups, respectively. In other words, the average difference between the top-and-low profit groups was $620/cow.

For some broader perspective, the bottom group maintains roughly 100 cows – that means an average negative return of $58,300/year. An equal number of cows in the top group returns $3,700. The distinction is plenty big in just one year. But what about running that disparity over ten years? The top-profit group will generate $620,000 more return per 100 cows compared to the bottom-profit group.

All of this brings us back to the broader discussion around data. Clearly, no one wants to be in the bottom-profit group. As noted previously, it’s one thing to see the results, but it’s another to really do something about it. And in this example, real, long-lasting financial success comes from actively managing the cost side of the business. KFMA notes that revenue and production are important, but much less important in explain differences between producers than costs. Underscoring that principle, note that the bottom-profit group failed to generate positive returns even in the best marketing years of 2014 and 2015.

Scott Peck in his great book, The Road Less Traveled, discusses how many people see the beginning and envision the end – but they’re unwilling to go through the middle – they lack discipline to follow-through. Data utilization to drive decision making is conceptually easy to talk about; to really do it, is another matter. But those operations that do implement the discipline to follow through clearly reap the benefits on the other side.

Nevil Speer is an independent consultant based in Bowling Green, KY. The views and opinions expressed herein do not reflect, nor are associated with in any manner, any client or business relationship. He can be reached at nevil.speer@turkeytrack.biz .

Minimize Cattle Losses: Strategic Deployment of Heat Abatement Strategies

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 17:54:03 GMT

With headlines of ‘ cattle dead in Kansas ’ across the media, cattle producers understand how important it is to prepare and mitigate the risk of these weather events.

With a forecast of more high temperatures and humidity within the next 10 to 14 days, finding ways to decrease the chances of cattle loss is front of mind for ranchers and feedlot owners and managers.

The following is a list of strategies to reduce the impact of heat stress on cattle in the feedlot with suggestions for sequential deployment. Strategies listed under preparation are intended to be deployed early within 10 to 14 days of the initial heat event forecast. Strategies listed under remediation are intended to be deployed as the heat event proceeds.

Preparation

10-day weather or Mesonet forecasts are fairly accurate. Watch weather forecasts, start acting on preparation steps and be prepared to remediate the problem.

USDA-ARS Heat Stress Forecast

Windfinder - Wind map & forecast

How so?

Consider marketing finished or nearly finished cattle
If unable to market, move finished cattle to pens deemed to be less prone to heat stress (pens with shade, greater wind exposure, greater water access, or where bedding may be delivered easily)
Avoid receiving cattle during heat event
Resist temptation to increase feed deliveries or simply reduce feed deliveries
Increase forage in the diet: Use storm diets or diets with more roughage
Avoid diets containing fat (adding fat to the diet leads to greater metabolic heat load)
Assign heat remediation tasks to one lead individual in team. Empower this individual to delegate tasks to other individuals, as appropriate.
Make plans to do any cattle processing before heat event
Plan to conduct pen riding and sick cattle pulling in the early morning hours
Remove any movable barriers to air flow
If possible, set up shades, but only if 12 ft high and at least 16 square feet of space per head can be shaded
Add and supply water stock tanks on fence lines away from existing water tanks
If possible, set up sprinklers and turn them on ahead of heat event
Plan to have additional water (accessing through local fire department or crop producers) and water wagons on hand

Be prepared to focus remediation efforts on high-priority pens. What would be considered high priority pens?

Cattle displaying one or more of these characteristics:

Finished or near finished cattle
Black cattle that haven’t shed winter coats
High intake cattle
Cattle (pen mates) with previous history of digestive or respiratory illness
Pens with poor wind movement (north slopes, wind breaks, in valleys)
Pens with no shade
Pens with restricted water access or poor water flow
Pens with no sprinklers

Remediation - (In addition to preparation steps outlined above) with a focus on high-priority pens:

Conduct pen riding and cattle pulling in the early morning hours
Retain sick or compromised cattle in bedded or shaded hospital pens
If cattle processing, loading or unloading must occur, defer to cooler hours of the day
Reduce morning feed delivery
Resist increasing feed deliveries or lower feed deliveries
Consider adding an extra 10 percentage units of roughage to finishing diet or continue feeding storm ration delivery (remove diets containing fat)
Dam a segment of feed bunk and deliver water within this segment
If practical, blow ground stalks or straw or roll out straw or stalk bales on pen surface to insulate heat reflection from pen surface (about 10 to 20 square feet per head)

As the summer heat is likely here to stay for the next few months, look at your operation and create a game plan to help your cattle cope with the summer temps .

Compared to a feedlot, cow-calf operations manage heat stress in similar ways, yet differ slightly due to the cattle environment and what mitigation options are available.

Be proactive on your operation. The industry doesn’t need more ‘dead cows’ or ‘ cattle dea d ’ media attention.