Hot tips on heat stress
How to best care for your livestock during a hot summer.
DURING THE summer months, paddocks can dry out, water tank levels get low, and it gets very hot and humid. The last thing you want are dehydrated or heat stressed animals. Your stock’s water requirements
The average daily water consumption for animals is around 60ml/kg. For example:
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80kg ewe = 4.8 litres per day
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average adult cow in milk = 70 litres per day (or 45 litres per day if not in milk)
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adult horse = 30-50 litres per day
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adult pig = 15-30 litres per day
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adult goat = 7-20 litres per day Water needs to be clean, palatable, plentiful, and easy for animals to access without competition. Troughs or containers must be sturdy or firmly fixed in place so stock can’t overturn them.
The easiest option is a self-refilling water system, or you’ll need to refill troughs daily with a hose. If you’re not there, ask a neighbour to keep them topped up.
6 ways to keep stock cool
Keep your animals cool, and prevent them from getting sunburnt and suffering heat stress.
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If your block doesn’t have trees, portable shelters and shade cloths can provide well ventilated, shaded areas for your animals to maximise heat loss. In some cases, the topography may provide natural shade, e.g. gullies or hills.
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Aluminium and galvanised steel are excellent materials for shelter roofing, as they reflect the sun’s radiating rays.
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Water sprinklers can be a helpful way to keep animals cool – be careful not to drain your water tanks.
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Chicken coops and dog kennels need to be clean, well ventilated, and positioned so they have a shaded area, e.g. under a tree, awning or overhanging eves. An angled roof will allow you to position the coop or kennel so that the slope face is not in direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day.
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Horses need shade. Mesh fly sheets with UV protection also provide good protection against the sun’s rays. Plan to keep exercising and training times for the cooler hours of the day.
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Check on your animals regularly throughout the day – are they showing signs of heat stress?
8 signs of heat stress
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excessive panting/increased breathing rate
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drooling
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seeking shade
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bright red gums
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increased water consumption
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vomiting and/or diarrhoea
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restlessness
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lethargy
These are your legal responsibilities
Your animals are your responsibility, and you need to plan for them accordingly. Under the Animal Welfare Act 1999, you must provide your animals with:
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proper and sufficient food and water; •
adequate shelter;
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the opportunity to display normal patterns of behaviour;
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appropriate physical handling;
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protection from and rapid diagnosis of injury and disease.
Need more info on animal welfare?
Scan the QR code to Ask Reg, or email animalwelfare@ mpi.govt.nz