Livestock Owners Take Extra Precautions as Summer Heat Intensifies

By Josh Meeks
Louisiana Farm Bureau News

VERMILION PARISH, La. — With Louisiana’s heat index regularly climbing above 110 degrees, livestock owners are adjusting feeding schedules, increasing access to water and shade, and closely watching their animals for signs of heat stress.

For Vermilion Parish livestock owner Anna-Vaughn Calihan, caring for show cattle, beef cattle, goats, and chickens during the hottest part of summer can become a full-time responsibility.

“It’s just making sure that they have everything they need — shade, water, adequate ventilation, and circulation of the air,” Calihan said. “Also minerals, adjusting your feeding times, just knowing what their specific needs are for each animal and trying to give them that to the best of your ability.”

Those needs vary among livestock species because animals regulate their body temperatures differently.

“Heat stress looks different in all the different livestock species that we work with or raise,” said Tyler Braud with the LSU AgCenter School of Animal Sciences. “Pigs, for example, lack the ability to sweat. They do not have sweat glands, and they have a thick layer of subcutaneous fat that acts as an insulator.”

Chickens also lack sweat glands, while their feathers can trap heat close to their bodies. During hot weather, livestock owners must recognize how each species responds and provide appropriate care.

One of the simplest ways to help animals cope with the heat is to limit unnecessary movement and activity. When animals move around, they burn energy and generate more internal body heat.

Keeping the bugs away is especially important during the summer.

“It’s important to practice good fly control during the summer months,” Braud said. “Flies are aggravating, and any form of fly that is aggravating your cow is going to cause them to move around.”

Calihan sprays her cattle with insect repellent to reduce irritation from flies and the constant tail swishing and movement that comes with them.

She also provides minerals to help replace nutrients the animals may lose as they consume more water. Feeding practices may also need to change because digestion generates heat, and diets containing too much protein can add to an animal’s heat load.

“You’re going to want to feed early in the morning or late at night,” Braud said.

Those cooler periods allow animals to eat and digest their feed without dealing with the most intense temperatures of the day.

Plentiful, clean water remains one of the most important protections against heat stress. Shade and air circulation can also help animals maintain safer body temperatures, particularly during the afternoon.

Livestock owners should closely observe their animals because changes in behavior can provide an early warning that conditions are becoming dangerous.

“I think something that’s easier or a little quicker to pick up on is that we start to see these animals congregating in areas of shade or near a water source,” Braud said.

Other potential signs of heat stress can include reduced feed consumption, increased water intake, heavy breathing, or animals becoming unusually lethargic.

Many of the same precautions apply to household pets. Cats and dogs need consistent access to water and shade, and their time outside should be limited during periods of extreme heat. Pet owners should also remember that pavement and other outdoor surfaces can become dangerously hot even during brief trips outside.

Whether caring for a large livestock herd or a family pet, Calihan said the key is understanding the animal’s individual needs and paying attention to what its behavior is communicating.