WATERLOO (AP) — The dog days of summer apply to cattle, as well as people.
Indeed, bovine experts at Iowa State University recently sent out a warning to producers to keep cool heads during the Iowa hot spells, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported.
With continuing weather forecasts of temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s and heat index recently eclipsing 100 degrees in Iowa, ISU Extension and Outreach beef veterinarian Grant Dewell sent out a reminder to beef cattle producers that properly preparing for such extreme weather conditions is vital to maintaining herd health.
Heat stress is always a concern, said Jim Thoma, who runs a 1,200-head operation near Jesup.
“In open pens in the sun, it gets pretty bad; it’s better to provide shade, especially for cattle that are along in the finishing period,” Thoma said. “They have more mega-cals and higher energy rations and are carrying more body fat and there’s more to deal with.”
Dewell recommended a five-step approach to side-stepping heat stress in a herd: Plan ahead, because after cattle get hot, it’s too late for preventative measures. Don’t work cattle when it is hot. Provide plenty of fresh clean water. Feed 70 percent of ration in the afternoon. Provide ventilation, shade and/or sprinklers.
“Some guys provide sprinklers,” Thoma said. “These newer confinement buildings work probably quite a bit better because cattle are in the shade and if there’s a summer breeze it helps a lot. If it’s hot, it’s going to be hot; you can’t control that, but you can kind of control the environment, especially if you have these newer confinement buildings.”
Thoma said he has “a couple” of controlled-environment buildings.
Dewell said consuming water is the only way cattle can cool down in hot, humid conditions.
“Make sure the water flow is sufficient to keep tanks full, and ensure there’s enough space at water tanks — 3 inches linear space per head,” he said. “Introduce new water tanks before a heat event occurs so cattle know where they are.”