If you’re feeling uncomfortable in the summer heat, so are the cattle. Dr. Scott Pertzborn is an owner at Lodi Veterinary Care specializing in livestock. He says heat can be problematic for dairy and beef production.
“Heat is a huge deal, especially with the high-producing dairy cattle. They’re working so hard and they’re generating a lot of heat just on their own,” he says. “If a cow had their say it would be like 50 degrees all the time. Once it gets much over 70, they start feeling the effects of heat stress.”
Heat makes cows uncomfortable. They won’t lay down, won’t eat, and they’ll start breathing hard. It can cause cows to go into respiratory acidosis — the lungs can’t remove enough carbon dioxide from the body, causing the blood to become too acidic. The stress on their feet can also lead to hoof problems.
This is all negative for milk production and reproduction.
Dr. Pertzborn says free-stall barns allow farmers to get a grasp on heat stress, providing shade, and utilizing sprinklers and fans. These are effective ways to cool the cow.
But not all Wisconsin farms have modern dairy facilities. For cattle on pasture or in a traditional red barn, there’s a way to prevent heat stress, too.
Dr. Pertzborn recommends tunnel ventilation systems. He recommends pasturing cattle on dry hilltops where there’s an adequate breeze. He also suggests taking advantage of mobile pasture shades.
