Charlie McConalogue TD, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has advised to farmers to take steps to protect their livestock during the hot weather.
The Minister said, “while the recent good weather is welcomed by the farming community across the country, we must remember that high temperatures can cause significant stress for livestock. It is important that farmers consider the extra steps needed to take care of their animals in these circumstances, making them comfortable and avoiding serious health and welfare problems arising due to the heat.”
Key points to protect livestock during hot weather:
1. Ensure plentiful supply of drinking water:
- The number of watering points and water flow may need to be increased in hot weather as demand increases.
- Drinking points should checked be more often during hot weather to ensure they are working and that the pressure is adequate.
- Stock should be monitored for signs of problems with water supply such as queuing or crowding at water points.
2. Ensure access to suitable shade or shelter:
-
- Vulnerable animals such as very young, old, or sick animals may need to be moved to a location with additional shade or shelter where they can be monitored more closely.
- Holding areas for livestock should also have shaded areas available where possible and holding times minimised.
- Outdoor poultry should have access to shade.
- Outdoor pigs require access to a wallow to cool down especially if the temperature is above 25° C as they are particularly vulnerable to heat stress.
3. Minimise handling and transport:
-
-
- Minimise handling in hot weather- if necessary, ensure it is done as early or late in the day as possible to coincide with cooler temperatures.
- Avoid transporting animals in hot weather where possible.
- If transport is necessary, plan to minimise journey length, transport during cooler hours and reduce the stocking density to allow for more airflow inside the vehicle.
-
4. Intensively housed species (pigs and poultry) need additional checks.
-
-
- Monitor the temperature in the animal accommodation closely and adjust the ventilation accordingly.
- Where automatic ventilation systems are in place, increase the level of monitoring of alarm and back-up systems.
- Use water sprinklers for pigs to help cool them down.
-
5. Monitor livestock closely for health issues or heat stress
-
-
- Livestock should always be checked more frequently in hot weather. Animals at a higher risk of heat stress include young, dark-coloured or pregnant animals, animals recovering from illness, pigs and high-producing dairy cows.
- Signs of heat stress include faster breathing or panting; loss of appetite; increased water intake; drooling; listlessness or lethargy; and in severe cases, animals may become unconscious.
- If you suspect an animal may be heat stressed, it is vital to act quickly. Steps to manage heat stressed animals include moving them to shade or shelter; offering cool water; using sprinklers for cattle, pigs and horses, or allow them to stand in water; increase ventilation in housed species such as pigs and poultry; and reduce the stocking density to allow animals to lie out. If there is no improvement, seek veterinary assistance without delay.
-
