US: cattle deaths reported in extreme heat
There have been several reports of cattle deaths from extreme heat in July in Iowa, the US.
Dal Grooms, of the Iowa Cattleman’s Association, says that compared to other livestock, cows have an especially difficult time dealing with high temperatures, heavy humidity and a lack of wind.
“Cattle don’t sweat like some livestock do, they rely completely on respiration,” Mr Grooms said. “If you’ve walked outside, you know it’s really hard to breathe. Well, it’s really, really hard to breathe for those cattle.”
It’s not clear how many cattle have died in Iowa so far, but Mr Grooms said it can happen despite producers best efforts to provide shade, extra water and sprinkling systems.
“We know in South Dakota they’ve had 1,000 to 1,500 cattle lost to this heat,” Mr Grooms said. “It looks like (the hot weather) is going to continue for a couple more days, so we really want people to focus on what they can do to keep those animals alive through this sort of situation.”
Farmers can be reimbursed for animals lost in severe weather, including losses due to heat.
