Recognising And Preventing Heat Stress In Dairy Cattle

By Author: Sahil Anand
Total Articles: 11
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It is very important to understand the body needs of an animal. Like humans, dairy cattle also feel hot and stressed. You need to recognize all the problems and hence prevent stress from their mind. Here are some preventive measures to take to keep your cattle fit always. Learn various ways to keep your cattle productive always for you.

How will you know your cattle are under stress?

You need to recognize first that your cattle are under stress. For that, come across different signs and symptoms that make you sure that your cattle need care:

Change in the behaviour:

• Find if your cattle keep standing for long
• Find if your cattle have started drinking a lot of water and always rush around the water sources.
• Sign when your cattle start sitting in the shade and cooler areas always.
• Fewer notices and visible effects on cattle under stress

Signs and symptoms

• If your cattle face increased respiration rates and rectal temperature
• If your cattle do not intake much food
• The milk production and rumination decreases
• There could ...
... be an increase in somatic cell count

How can you help cattle overcome stress?

Water intake - Cattle will surely increase water intake, and it is important to keep them cool and stressed out. Water will improve their condition. Hence you need to provide at least two inches of linear water space for each animal.

Fans - If you want your cattle to control the heat stress, then let them keep under proper ventilation. You need to install the fans at least 12 feet above with an angle of 20 degrees towards cows. You need to include fans in the holding area.

Shade - If you keep cows away from direct sunlight and in a comfortable area, they will live stressed out. They will take proper diet and water level. But under the shade, you cattle must have limited interaction to water. They must come in contact with clean water with cool shade. The shade station must be chosen in a way that it provides comfort to the cattle.

Increasing the ration density - If it’s hot weather, cows generally do not give milk. The fact is they do not intake the proper diet. However, if you increase energy density, then the cattle will decrease dry intake. They must be given silage and pasture properly. But make sure that you do not overfeed them with degradable protein level.

If you are looking for good dietary habits for your cattle, then reach Silage Agro that offers the best quality silage for your cattle. You need to give proper care for your cattle with proper shelter. Silage can be the best way to provide the required nutrients to your cattle.