The seasons are changing, and summer’s heat is going away. But that doesn’t mean that heat stress or temperature stress isn’t an issue with show livestock. Manage your show animal’s temperature and keep them feeling and looking their best no matter the season. One simple way to manage heat stress is with Vita Charge® Climate Control Gel. This gel for all livestock is designed to support digestive health and recovery when temperatures are above 70 degrees.
Heat Stress in the Fall?
It might seem odd to talk about heat stress as we transition into fall. However, show livestock can experience temperature stress as they move from climate to climate. They can experience a great temperature shift while traveling from a cool climate to a warmer climate for shows. And, with the heat, humidity and poor circulation in many livestock facilities, there can be a big temperature shift for animals.
“Think about bringing a haired-up heifer, or any beef animal, in from the tie-outs early in the morning from a fall or winter major,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., Senior Manager of Beef Technical Sales for BioZyme® Inc.
“A lot of these nice facilities don’t have great circulation. When you tie in a string of these cattle, their own body heat combined with our body heat and blowers going, can cause unnecessary heat stress on livestock even at a fall or winter show.”
Defining Heat and Temperature Stress
Although heat stress isn’t as common in the fall or winter, it can happen. When you look at temperature stress, it’s important to keep heat in mind. Heat stress occurs anytime the temperature exceeds 70 degrees. Heat stress causes increased respiration rate, suppressed appetite, fatigue and dehydration—all also indicators of a lowered immune response. With the expectations we put on show livestock to perform at the highest level and look exceptional while doing so, heat and temperature stress can become a challenge.
“Additionally, a lot of the barns have the wash racks built into the stalling areas, and that creates humidity. Humidity is just as big of a factor inducing heat stress. Therefore, your animals can get stressed even when it is cooler than 70 degrees,” Cassady reiterates.
4 Tips to Manage Animal Temperatures
You have worked endlessly to get your show livestock looking their best. When they stall or pen in a nice livestock facility that is warmer than 70 degrees, stress can occur. Don’t let the temperature and humidity at a show cause your animals to underperform.
You can manage animal temperatures with these 4 basic tips.
1. Keep Air Moving
Keep fans on your animals as much as is permitted by the facility. Air movement is a great way to keep livestock cooled off. This is especially true when they have long hair coats or are wearing blankets like sheep and goats typically do.
Also, make sure your trailers offer ventilation. This is true when hauling haired-up cattle. You might think it is cold outside, but those cattle put off a lot of heat. They require that air circulation to help manage their temperature while in a small, enclosed area.
2. Keep them Hydrated
Make sure you provide your livestock with fresh, clean water throughout the day. If they are traveling, they are likely to not want to drink. If the facility has heavily chlorinated water, try adding Vita Charge® Liquid Boost to the water.
Liquid Boost contains flavoring that will help mask the taste of the water while promoting intake of both water and feed. Its ingredients also provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune system.
3. Rinse Your Animals
When animals get too hot, take time to rinse them off. This provides an immediate way to give them some relief from the heat.
4. Manage Animal Temperatures from the Inside Out
You can also help manage your animals’ potential for temperature stress from the inside out with Vita Charge® Climate Control Gel. Climate Control is a gel for all livestock designed to support digestive health and recovery when temperatures are above 70 degrees. Climate Control Gel is one of three gels in the Vita Charge line that supports multiple species before, during and after stressful situations.
Climate Control is an innovative product from BioZyme, Inc that:
- Contains HEAT® technology, a combination of essential oils, to support animals when heat is a challenge.
- Contains AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility.
- Promotes appetite and water intake.
“Climate Control Gel is one the best little tools you can keep in your show box, year-round. These barns get hot and humid causing animals to get unnecessarily warmer than they need to be, even when humans might not think it is that hot.”
“Giving your livestock a couple doses of the gel a day or two before you travel and then while at the show can be a great insurance policy that they won’t overheat. They should stay on feed and water, and your animal will feel its best,” Cassady said.
Want to Learn More?
Do you already use Vita Charge products? Maybe you use Sure Champ® products to help you #PreptoWin, but now you’d like to invest in Climate Control Gel to help mitigate animals’ temperature stress. You can buy it here.
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