Beat the Heat: Protecting Cattle During Summer Heat Stress
This article was written by Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Nutrition Specialist. Summer heat stress reduces cattle performance, reproductive efficiency and animal welfare. Extreme heat stress may result in death. Heat stress is not determined by temperature alone. Humidity, direct sunlight, wind speed and the amount of nighttime cooling all influence the heat load cattle must manage.
Cattle accumulate heat during the day and normally release much of it overnight. Consecutive hot days become especially dangerous whe...