What did you do in the garden today?

[WthrLady]

Yes. I can't believe it's not a partial neglect issue/mismanagement issue in the feed lots. Cattle can handle that heat as long as they are healthy, properly fed, have shade to get to and plenty of fresh water.
Undo any one of those and they stress and can die.
Ours handle those same insane temps and humidity every summer and do fine. OC we check on them like MAD. Extra water is provided as they are cow/calf pairs not fully weaned.

 

[Elyrian1]

Does the cows being a dark coated variety have any impact on that? (I know next to nothing about cows) I know black angus is heavily marketed here in the US, and I've always wondered if we might not be spiting ourselves by relying so heavily on a single breed that, I would think, would suffer in high temps.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Yes. I can't believe it's not a partial neglect issue/mismanagement issue in the feed lots. Cattle can handle that heat as long as they are healthy, properly fed, have shade to get to and plenty of fresh water.
Undo any one of those and they stress and can die.
Ours handle those same insane temps and humidity every summer and do fine. OC we check on them like MAD. Extra water is provided as they are cow/calf pairs not fully weaned.

It's just awful...times are getting worse by the day!
Very frustrating and I don't even have it that bad!
And I can't even remember last time it rained!

 

[Elyrian1]

Okay I got it from:

" Thermoregulation and the Effects of Heat Stress on Dairy Cattle

Bryan Scott Kennedy
Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Production Medicine Graduate Program

March 4, 1999"

And down a bit here's this gem, emphasis mine:

"
Mechanisms of Heat Exchange​

Heat exchange with the environment occurs basically through four ways 15. The first is conduction, which occurs when heat is transferred through direct contact with material. The second is convection, which occurs by transfer of heat to surrounding air. Convection is greatly limited by high ambient air temperatures. Radiation is the third method of heat exchange and likely the most important for cattle residing in sub-tropical and tropical climates. Research has concluded that black cows may absorb more than twice the solar radiation as white cows 1. Radiation is also an important means of heat loss whenever all or part of the surroundings are cooler than the cows surface 2,15. During periods of HS there is generally a net heat gain from radiation in the daytime and a net heat loss from radiation at night with the animal radiating to its relatively cooler surroundings 15. Facilities should be designed with this in mind. It is thought that cooling cows continuously throughout the day is more beneficial than only cooling during the daylight hours. The fourth and final means of heat exchange is evaporation, occurs during sweating, panting and when cows are wet. Evaporation allows for the conversion of water from a liquid phase to a vapor or gaseous phase, thus transferring heat from the cow's body to the surrounding air with the evaporating water. As the ambient temperature rises , evaporative heat loss becomes the major avenue of heat loss because it is not dependent on the thermal gradient, as are conduction and convection 15."

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Well I can testify that just with my chickens the darker ones always pant and take heat worse than the light colored ones.
So much so that I thought Bluey was a goner last week...she was panting and had her wings all out but had this moaning wheeze after each breath. So I've been taken a tray of frozen water down there to try and cool her feet down cuz they are like on fire!

 

[WthrLady]

Does the cows being a dark coated variety have any impact on that? (I know next to nothing about cows) I know black angus is heavily marketed here in the US, and I've always wondered if we might not be spiting ourselves by relying so heavily on a single breed that, I would think, would suffer in high temps.

Not really. They're a hearty breed, which is part of why they are so popular. I, myself, am not a huge fan of Angus beef. Good beef really comes down to how it's raised, finished, and processed. Breed is really only one factor.

 

[WthrLady]

Not really. They're a hearty breed, which is part of why they are so popular. I, myself, am not a huge fan of Angus beef. Good beef really comes down to how it's raised, finished, and processed. Breed is really only one factor.

TWICE that of white cattle, but that's in high fat, low movement dairy cattle. And they don't state the original thermal transfer numbers. Dairy cattle are handled differently and are a totally different ballgame. Not saying there isn't a difference in light and dark cattle, but it's still a warm blooded animal. Here the beef cattle are provided either shade trees, barns, or HUGE shade banner in the feedlots. THese shade structures drop temps 30 degrees. Keepers that don't have them, don't give a rat's behind about livestock welfare, which is a crime in this state, and has been harshly enforced.
A good rancher/keeper protects the livestock like the walking dollar signs they are, and right now, they aren't HUGE dollar signs either.

 

[Elyrian1]

It's sad that they've not got access to relief in some places. Put me in dark clothes and stick me in the sun all day and water or no at 110 that might not end well. Agreed, good people take good care of their animals.

 

[WthrLady]

Well I can testify that just with my chickens the darker ones always pant and take heat worse than the light colored ones.
So much so that I thought Bluey was a goner last week...she was panting and had her wings all out but had this moaning wheeze after each breath. So I've been taken a tray of frozen water down there to try and cool her feet down cuz they are like on fire!

But is it because they are black, or are they a black breed that doesn't tolerate heat well? Every single shade of chicken is out there panting today, despite water, ice toys, frozen berries, and wet earth to play in, and LOTS of shade and a barn fan.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

But is it because they are black, or are they a black breed that doesn't tolerate heat well? Every single shade of chicken is out there panting today, despite water, ice toys, frozen berries, and wet earth to play in, and LOTS of shade and a barn fan.

I have all the same breed satins and my black ones began panting a week prior to all the others. Bluey's feet are much hotter than the others too.

I don't remember Zoe havin such hot feet, but I definitely remember her panting well before it ever even hit 80s!!!