Cattle respiring to cool off “As uncomfortable as we are during the heat of the day, it is important to remember cattle generally do not handle heat as well as humans,” according to Dr. Rick Machen, Professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service Specialist. Heat stress is a function of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation. The core body temperature of cattle does not peak until two hours after the peak in ambient temperature, which often comes at five o’clock or later. Cattle need at least six hours to dissipate the heat accumulated during the day. Consequently, night-time cooling is essential for managing heat stress. Warm humid nights with no breeze following a plus 100-degree day pose a real challenge for cattle. Machen offered the following tips for managing livestock during times of potential heat stress. 1. Do not work cattle after 10a.m. on potentially (heat) stressful days. 2. Do not work cattle in the evening of a heat stressed day. 3. Wait
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