Remember to provide shade, however and whenever it is needed. That may be simply opening up the barn doors and allowing cattle to get in out of the sun, even if it means cleaning out the barn again or providing access to the shady side of a windbreak, even if it means putting up some fence.
One of the most effective pasture shades I have seen involved some old telephone posts, some number 9 wire and old snow fencing or “corn cribbing” as my dad used to call it. It made an effective but still fairly inexpensive shade. The materials were used to create a “roof” out of the cribbing that was high enough the animals couldn't rub on it. Old tarps make a great shade as well.
Water – cool, clean and accessible – is by far the most needed form of coolant. This drought has really limited pasture options for many producers. Dams and ponds for the most part are dried up and probably will stay that way for the unforeseeable future. It's imperative that stock tanks be kept filled with water, regardless of whether it's available nearby or needs to be hauled in. Hydration is important for us and for our animals. Fattening stock of course need lots of water but so do the animals running the pastures.
If you have animals in drylot conditions, it will pay you dividends to fashion a series of hoses and sprinklers (good old lawn sprinklers work just fine) to create a cooler environment and provide relief from the heat. If you have confined animals, misting and air movement is a good way to cool those barns that don't have air conditioning. Placing a soaker hose on the roof is one way to help cool the structure and interior, especially with tin roofs.
Transportation of animals is a critical phase of herdsmanship. We move animals to different pastures or take them to market. In this weather, we really need to think about the timing of this operation. Early morning or later in the evening should be the norm when hauling. Once animals are loaded, spray them down before taking off and on long distances, cool them down again to help insure you don’t lose any animals. Make sure that there is good footing, however ,as the water will make the floors a little slick.
Duane Lienemann
Extension Educator in Webster and Clay counties
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