Heat Stress And Production Animals
Rural Chemical Industries (Aust.) Pty Ltd.
It is now accepted that Heat Stress is the major cause of lost production and lost profits in poultry, swine, beef cattle and dairy cattle in hostile "production-limiting" regions.
Development of new breeds with faster growth and conformation characteristics has led to virtually all production animals farmed in hot and humid countries being genetically derived from strains originally bred in the more temperate climates of Europe and North America.
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It is now accepted that Heat Stress is the major cause of lost production and lost profits in poultry, swine, beef cattle and dairy cattle in hostile "production-limiting" regions. Learn how our products can beat heatstress.
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However, most farmers in tropical and sub-tropical areas have not seen the production levels of animals in cool climates and have no concept of how much improvement in productivity is possible.
The Thermal Comfort Zone for most animals is between 4° C and 25° C.
When temperature exceeds 25° C animals suffer heat stress. In severe cases of heat stress the deep body temperature rises, animal cells are affected and production performance is reduced. The effect is increased when the relative humidity is greater than 50%.
Animals typically react to Heat Stress conditions by eating less food, thus naturally controlling the rise in deep body temperature caused by digestion. Respiratory rate rises and there is a marked increase in insensible heat loss by evaporation of water from the lungs.They also drink at least 5 times the amount of water they would under temperate conditions, urine output increases and many mineral ions are lost.
Some responses to heat stress are:
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Better producers are at greater risk from heat stress than lower yielding individuals.
Heat Stress & Electrolytes
The body needs a continuous supply of fluids and electrolytes, chemical ions which balance the body fluids in and around the cells. Without the key electrolytes Sodium Na+, Potassium K+ Chloride Cl- and Bicarbonate HCO3- it is impossible to balance the internal environment.
When an animal is under stress, particularly Heat Stress, acid concentration increases, the body's balance is upset and economic loss will follow.
Before that situation is reached, before animals start to be distressed a control and treatment strategy must be put in place.
Water- Ensure plentiful supply of cool, clean drinking water.
- Medicate water continuously with Selectolyte
The constant addition of Selectolyte through the drinking water restores lost ions and helps to preserve electrolyte balance. While Selectolyte can be added to the feed, drinking water medication is preferred because animals will drink when they will not eat.
Feed
- Feed earlier in the morning and later in the evening.
- Add metabolic stimulants to encourage consumption
Our informative booklet How to Understand Heatstress & What To Do About It can provide more information, and is available in:
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Find out how you can solve your Production Animal Heat Stress problems by purchasing Selectolyte.
Related Information - Controlling Poultry Heat Stress
Anigane in the drinking water stimulates appetite and the central nervous system. This helps to increase the amount of food eaten resulting in increased productivity.
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