I’m not sure about your neck of the woods, but around this part of the country we are facing some brutal heat. In Arkansas, it’s not so much the reported air temperature that we worry about, as much as it is the heat index. This weekend the dew points reached 80* and that makes for some down right sticky weather. Sunday the heat index made 112* and at 10p.m. was still at 101*. There’s just no way to escape the heat for us or the cattle in the pastures. SO how do we keep cattle cool?
Check out this video from Oklahoma State where Dr. Lalman describes how to keep cattle cool and how to identify heat stress.
You’d really be suprised how well the cattle can seek out cool spots in the pastures, along ponds and creeks, or breeze-ways in the pasture. We try our best to remove any stress from our cattle during this time or year: handling cattle well befor 10a.m, provide plenty of fresh water, fresh pasture, shade, and any protection from parasites and flies. The heat is not easy on us either. I’d love to head to the shade by 8a.m. just like the cattle, but there’s work to be done. Even in the tractor, the a/c has not chance in that glass bowl when its 105* outside.
Heat can be really stressful on cattle, but leave em be and they will take care of themselves. I think they’re pretty lucky as they can just take a swim in the pond or creek whenever they feel like it. But I wouldn’t put it pass me to dunk in a stock tank once in a while to cool off…
