PINE BLUFF — As the summer temperatures rise, livestock producers should make sure their animals have a way to keep cool, Dr. David Fernandez, Extension livestock specialist and interim dean of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, said. Overheating can cause animals to lose their appetites, become fatigued, and in extreme cases, die.
“Livestock do not need to live in airconditioned comfort – they are well-adapted to both the heat and cold of Arkansas,” he said. “Providing shade and cool water, however, can help reduce productivity losses and make your livestock more comfortable during hot summer weather.”
Animals gain heat through two processes – conduction and radiation. Conduction occurs when heat is transferred from an object to an animal, such as when an animal is warmed as it lies on hot ground. Radiation, on the other hand, occurs when sunlight strikes an animal’s body and the resulting heat is absorbed.
Darker colored animals absorb more heat through radiation than light colored animals, he said. Some animals have light colored hair but dark colored skin, so they can become warm faster than one might expect.
“Animals also generate heat internally as they metabolize feed,” Dr. Fernandez said. “Between internal heat generation and external warming on hot days, an animal can overheat.”
Overheating causes animals to stop eating and increases their heart and respiration rate. Severely affected animals can become weak and unable to stand. Extremely elevated temperatures – over 107 degrees F – can result in the animal’s death.
“Other side effects of heat stress are impaired weight gains and reproductive failure, especially in males,” Dr. Fernandez said. “Overheating can also suppress the immune system, resulting in outbreaks of diseases such as pneumonia during especially hot weather.”
To reduce the chances of their livestock overheating, producers should understand how livestock keep cool naturally.