Preventing heat stress in cattle, poultry and pigs

Most animals are warm-blooded and need to maintain a stable body temperature. When an animal is no longer able to regulate its body temperature due to high temperatures and humidity, heat stress occurs. Unfortunately, heat stress is associated with certain health risks that can have far-reaching consequences.  

 

Heat stress in cows can be recognised by a loss of appetite and rapid breathing. They stand for longer than usual to try to cool down, rest constantly, start panting and drink more water. Long-term heat stress can have disastrous consequences for cattle. It can lower their immunity, increase the risk of rumen acidosis and hoof problems, lead to reduced milk production and even result in infertility. 

 

When poultry are suffering from heat stress, you'll see panting, open beaks, vibrations in the throat area and outstretched wings in an attempt to cool down. They sit far apart, which is not always possible when there is a high stocking density. You will see them drink more water and breathe faster. Problems can arise as a result of prolonged exposure to excessively high temperatures and humidity in poultry: sudden death of broilers (fast-growers are much more sensitive than slow-growers), a rise in blood pH, reduced blood flow to the intestines, poorer quality shells and changes to the hormonal balance. These issues and many more negative effects can result in serious production losses. 

 

Pigs that are too hot experience high levels of stress. This can be recognised by the panting that occurs, but also when they separate themselves from the other pigs and move to the coolest areas (cast iron grills are better for this than plastic grills). In addition, they seek out moisture in different ways (at the trough or drinking nipples, urine and manure etc.) to increase heat dissipation via the skin. They also lose their appetites, which has a dire effect on growth. In the farrowing pens, there will be reduced milk production. Heat stress is also synonymous with fertility problems in sows, and agitation and an increased chance of aggression in fattening pigs. 

 

There are, of course, some measures you can take to protect your animals from the heat. For cattle, poultry and pigs, there are various recommended formulas, but usually changes will need to be made to the feed and the barn. 

 

By adding rumen protected fats to the feed, you can give your cattle extra energy without burdening the rumen. This helps to minimise the effects of the lower dry matter intake. And because the cows eat less frequently, they experience more drastic fluctuations in the rumen pH. A long-acting rumen buffer, such as Maxibuff, can help stabilise the rumen pH. When experiencing heat stress, cows also have higher oxidative stress, which can be relieved by adding natural antioxidants such as rumen protected grape seed extract or vitamin E to the rations.  

In addition, ensure there is sufficient ventilation and water in the barn so that cows can cool down when necessary. 

 

When a chicken is too hot, there is a shift in the electrolyte balance. This balance must be restored with electrolytes to regulate the acid-base balance, which is put under pressure in high temperatures. Betaine can also have a cooling effect. In addition, chickens use a huge amount of antioxidants when they experience heat stress. For this reason, we add natural antioxidants based on grape or grapefruit seed to the rations. Vitamin C and E are also recommended. To cool down the airways, we advise the use of essential oils based on eucalyptus and menthol.   

In addition to products, barn management is crucial for dealing with heat stress on a barn level. For example, it is important to have cooling systems with an adapted droplet size to cool the air at the air inlet of the barn.  

 

Pigs also lose antioxidants, which means that natural antioxidants or vitamins are helpful for these animals as well. An extra dose of betaine will help provide relief. In the context of barn management, fogging systems are important. They spray a fine mist into the air, which cools the air and allows the animals to breathe more comfortably and cool down. In addition, you can adjust the feeding schedule (to feed at cooler times of day) and the concentration of the feed (with extra fat) to reduce the internal heat production of the animals. This allows them to deal with external heat more easily.  

 

The nutritionists at VDS Premix have the expertise needed to help protect your animals against heat stress. Do you need to make adjustments to the barn or should you adapt the rations? They will inform you of the possibilities using their in-depth knowledge and choose the best formulas for your cattle, poultry and pigs. You can rest assured that your prized animals will thrive during the summer months. 

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