Heat Stress Treatment in Cattle

Heat stress in cattle—it’s no joke. As spring gives way to warmer days and summer is on the horizon, temperatures are on the rise. Producers and backgrounders are going to have to think about both the prevention and treatment of heat stress in their operations. 

Although prevention is always preferred over treatment, the two often look fairly similar. One just happens to take place before the other is needed. Sometimes you are just too busy. Or the temperatures heat up unexpectedly, and heat stress treatment in cattle becomes your only option.

That’s why Gain Smart created this blog: to help you identify the issue and know how to address it.

Heat Stress Treatment in Cattle 

Keep Cattle Hydrated  

The first step in treating heat stress is to ensure cattle have access to clean, fresh water at all times to prevent dehydration and maintain hydration levels. Monitor water availability and quality regularly. Keeping your cattle hydrated is critical in treating heat stress since dehydrated animals have problems maintaining body temperature.

If possible, provide multiple water sources and spread them across several areas to help eliminate animal crowding at one particular location. Keep water under shade to encourage cattle to gather where it is shaded.

Provide Shade  

Make certain cattle have access to shaded areas or shelters where they can seek relief from direct sunlight and high temperatures. Adequate ventilation is essential for promoting air circulation and cooling in shelters.  

Sometimes trees are enough to help eliminate heat stress. However, cattle grazing in a large open area where trees are not an option might need man-made shade structures. If you have a building that serves as shade, make sure it has proper ventilation and circulation like a fan. An enclosed structure with minimal air movement will only contribute to your animals’ heat.    

Limit Working & Hauling During the Day  

Minimize handling, transportation or other forms of physical exertion during periods of extreme heat to reduce stress on cattle. Limiting activity can help conserve energy and prevent additional heat buildup in the body. 

Don’t work your cattle during extreme heat. If you need to process or move your livestock, plan any work as early in the morning as possible before the day heats up. Working animals causes stress and combined with heat stress can cause serious issues. If you need to transport your livestock, do so early in the day or later in the evening when the temperature cools.   

Contact your Veterinarian 

In cases of severe heat stress or heat stroke, take immediate action to cool the affected cattle. Move them to a shaded or cooler area, apply cool water or ice packs to the body and provide ventilation and hydration support. Contact a veterinarian for further assistance and medical treatment. 

Other Nutritional Considerations   

Because we know the value of keeping your stockers healthy and performing during the hottest time of the year, BioZyme® has formulated Gain Smart® Stocker HEAT®. This free-choice vitamin and mineral supplement for stocker cattle is designed to maximize efficient gain when temperatures are above 70 degrees.  

Gain Smart Stocker HEAT contains AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility. It also includes organic copper, iodine and zinc for maximum bioavailability and hoof health. 

The key component of Gain Smart Stocker HEAT, though, is our HEAT technology. BioZyme’s Heat technology is a combination of essential oils and garlic, to support animals when heat and insects are a challenge.   

HEAT provides capsaicin to help maintain circulation to support animal performance in both heat and fescue situations. Capsaicin and Amaferm are both research-proven to help maintain body temperature. HEAT also contains garlic to help deter insects. Keeping insects controlled is important to heat stress because insects like to gather on animals when they bunch up. Insect bites cause added stress and economic losses.   

Added Benefits of Amaferm  

Feeding Amaferm during summer temperatures is especially beneficial for eliminating internal heat stress. Since Amaferm enhances digestibility, cattle do not work as hard to digest, so they do not expend energy, creating that internal rise in body temperature.   

Amaferm is found in all Gain Smart products, a line of vitamin and mineral supplements for stocker cattle that promotes healthy, economical pounds. Additionally, Amaferm is research-proven to increase performance by .25 pounds per day, and that is what every backgrounder should be looking to achieve.  

A lowered body temperature has several key benefits. It helps keep those animals out grazing, which means the potential for gaining is greater. That’s true even in warmer climates!   

Get Your Herd Gain Smart Today 

The Gain Smart team hopes that you have found more than one solution for heat stress treatment in cattle. We know that healthy, efficient pounds are important, but they can’t be achieved under stressful conditions.  

In addition to Gain Smart Stocker HEAT, we also offer three other Gain Smart formulas to help you succeed with your calves.  

We care about cattle’s well-being, so we have provided an extensive network of BioZyme dealers across the country. That way, you can get the Gain Smart products you need to succeed. 

Locate a dealer near you and get your cattle on Gain Smart today. 

Get More Information on Gain Smart 

Have any questions about Gain Smart and how it can help your operation? Contact us today. 

Or, sign up for monthly eblasts to stay up to date on product deals, informational blogs, and industry news.