Summertime Livestock Management Tips To Keep Your Sheep, Goats and Cattle Healthier and Happier
For those in the northern hemisphere, the summer’s heat is in full force. If you have a livestock operation or farm, you’ll want to keep dehydration, heat stress and heatstroke away from your sheep, goats and cattle. Your animals might also appreciate the following tips to help them stay cooler and healthier during this sweltering season.
Keeping Livestock Cool
-Offer your animals a shady place to relax where they can get relief from the sultry summer days while they graze.
-If the animals are indoors, you can help them keep cool by running a fan. Fans serve a dual purpose, they also help keep insects like mosquitoes and flies from pestering your sheep, goats and cattle.
-Make sure your animals have access to clean water. Not only does this help them stay well hydrated but keeps algae and bacterial growth from contaminating their water source.
-Spray your animals down with a hose if you notice they are dehydrated to stave off heatstroke.
-Shearing your sheep can help them stay cool and less stressed so they don’t become agitated.
-Providing access to shallow, temporary pools can help your animals cool down.
-Access to salt blocks can make sure your livestock can replenish their electrolyte balance during the hot days (and nights) outdoors.
-Lower your animal’s stress levels when the days are hot. Make sure you have the hauling and transport equipment you need to quickly and easily take care of vaccinations, castrations, hoof care, breeding or weaning as smoothly as possible.
-Keep insects at bay by applying bug spray, proving correct manure management and leaving no standing water around.
No matter what the season, whether you are in the northern or southern hemisphere, we can help your livestock operation run smoothly. We welcome you to call our D-S Livestock Handling Equipment team in Frostburg, MD at [phone] to learn more!