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Cattle Cope With The Heat

published: August 15th 2010
by: Kalisha Whitman
source: WTVA

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) -- A key indication that it is hot is when cows start to complain in not so subtle ways. The cows we visited Wednesday did not even want to moo because of the heat, but the real indication was they would not eat.

Mike Smith, a cattle rancher said, "It's hard to get cattle out during the middle of the day and if they're not eating they're not growing."

Smith said once the temperature rises to a certain level the only thing the cows really want to do is find a nice spot to relax.

"They're kind of like people. If you can see they all love the shade just like we do, and it's hard to get much production out of them," Smith said

While WTVA News was at Smith's ranch he gave the cows some feed. They started to eat a little, but Smith said when it is too hot they will not eat a lot. Smith said that can hinder business.

"Most beef cattle are sold by the pound, and it if you don't get the pounds grown it can effect your bottom line," Smith said.

Smith told us it happens in other areas of agriculture too.

"Whether you're growing soy beans, cattle, corn, hogs or chickens heat and dry weather is not a good combination," Smith said.

We spoke to Carl Reynolds, he raises chickens. We found out they do act a little differently in this heat.

"Back in the winter I had about 22 laying hens, and I was getting 18-20 eggs a day. The hot weather has cut them back to two or three eggs a day," Reynolds said.

Both men said - until the temperature starts to fall to a comfortable level - finding some shade, taking a dip in a nice body of water or getting a cool drink is the best way for any animal to beat this heat.