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Feedlots can protect against heat stress lossesNebraska Heat stress can cause loss of feedlot cattle worth millions of dollars, said Tami Brown-Brandl, agricultural engineer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Meat Animal Research Center near Clay Center, Neb. Thousands of cattle can die during a single regional heat event, Brandl said. Even if a producer only sees that kind of loss every five years or so, it can be devastating to that operation. The most important time to watch for heat stress is a period of two nights or more in a row with low temperatures at or above 70 degrees, Brandl said. When nights don't cool, it's doubly important to pay attention to daytime temperature. Days without cloud cover and very little wind increase heat stress. For a map showing regional stress conditions, go to www.usmarc.usda.gov and click on cattle heat stress in the left menu bar. Based upon studies, cattle with dark hides, black or dark red, suffer the most from heat, Brandl said. Animals with a history of health problems, particularly pneumonia, are especially vulnerable, as are fat cattle that are nearly ready to be shipped. Producers should also monitor new animals just coming into the feedlot. Excitable animals are also a bit more likely to suffer heat stress. Panting is one way for a producer to determine when to act. Under normal conditions, an animal's panting score is zero. Breathing is barely visible and the animal has no appearance of stress. Panting score increases to two when cattle begin foaming at the mouth. Cattle should not be movediIf ten percent of them have a panting score of two or above, because moving causes a rise in body temperature. If cattle breathe with an open mouth, feedlot operators should make sure the tanks are all full of water. Normally one-inch of space per head around the water tanks will provide sufficient hydration, but under extreme conditions, access to water needs to increase, perhaps even triple. If heat stress conditions are on the horizon, place extra tanks before it arrives. Placing extra tanks during a heat event might not help because the cattle may not find the new watering sites in time. When cattle pant, tongue out, like a dog, they're really suffering from the heat. Even cooling the soil in the pens, perhaps by using a water truck to dump water, will help. With prior knowledge of extreme heat and advance planning, feedlot owners and operators can avoid disasters due to heat stress. 8/11/08 Date: 8/4/08 Advertisement
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