Heat Stress in Cows

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Ellice Hahne (FCG Midwest)

With the latest but probably not last heat wave over, it is important to remember that livestock suffers from heat as much, if not more than us. Cows start suffering from heat when temperatures exceed 21°C. This will affect milk yields, feed intakes, health, and can even affect the performance of the future calf the cow is carrying!

  1. Ensure your livestock has access to sufficient water, and that flow rate on troughs is sufficient to allow for up to 20 animals to drink at the same time without emptying the trough and without competition. Provide water in the collecting yard and when leaving the milking parlour.
  2. Choose paddocks with shade over those without. Hedges, trees, and other shelters will provide a respite from the heat. Consider housing your livestock at the hottest time of the day.
  3. Monitor feed intake. If your animals are eating less, consider feeding them some higher energy feed to make up for it. Discuss this with your nutritionist.
  4. Consider sprinklers or misters in your collecting yard to reduce heat. If your collecting yard is exposed to the sun and you don’t have sprinklers, consider bringing your cows in in batches and keeping the remaining herd in a shaded area in the meantime.
  5. Avoid crowding your animals (e.g., in the collecting yard or if transporting livestock) and let them walk at their own pace.
  6. If you are housing livestock and you have fans in place, ensure they are clean and working. 
  7. If you need to transport livestock, ensure you have taken the heat into consideration (park in the shade, provide water during transport).

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Ellice at ellicehahne@fcgagric.com or your local FCG office. 

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