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- Ensure plentiful supply of drinking water.
- The number of watering points and water flow may need to be increased during hot weather as demand increases.
- Drinking points should be checked more often during hot weather to ensure they are working and that water pressure is adequate.
- Stock should be monitored for signs of problems with water supply such as queuing or crowding at water points.
- 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 and horses should have shaded areas available where possible and holding times should be 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 pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress.
- Minimise handling and transport
- Movement or handling of cattle and other animals during hot weather can increase their body temperature by 0.5° C to 3.5° C, causing heat stress.
- Minimise handling in hot weather- if necessary, ensure animals are handled 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.
- Intensively housed species (pigs and poultry) may need additional checks.
- Monitor the temperature in the animal accommodation closely and adjust ventilation accordingly.
- Where automatic ventilation systems are in place, increase the frequency of monitoring of alarm and back-up systems.
- Use water sprinklers for pigs to help cool them down.
- Reduce stocking densities where necessary to increase air space and flow and to reduce the effect of heat generated by the animals themselves.
- Monitor all 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. 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 the animals to stand in cool water; increase ventilation for 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.