U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home News & Events News Articles Research News 2002





- ARS News & Events
- AgResearch Magazine
- Image Gallery
- News
- Search News & Events
- Pesticide Drift May Endanger Pollinators
- ARS Seeks a Fire Ant Fix
- Scientific Discoveries 2024
- ARS Featured Photos
- Down on the Farm
- Facebook Live Events
- Food and Nutrition Research Briefs
- News Archive
- Science in Your Shopping Cart
- Scientific Discoveries
- Social Media
- Under the Microscope
- AgResearch magazine
- ARS at Work
- ARS Memorial Lectures
- ARS Science Hall of Fame
- Citrus Disease (Huanglongbing)
- Contact Office of Communications
- Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Mobile Apps
- Public Affairs Contacts
- Publications and Other Resources
- USDA Blog
- Videos

Archived Page
 This page has been archived and is being provided for reference purposes only. The page is no longer being updated, and therefore, links on the page may be invalid.
 Photo: Watering cattle and providing shelter are two important ways to help keep them cooler and less stressed during heat waves. Link to photo informationClick image for caption and other photo information.
Read the magazine story to find out more.
Tips for Keeping Cattle Cool This Summer
By David ElsteinJuly 10, 2002
Records for high summer temperatures have already been set in parts of the United States this year. While humans can retreat to air-conditioning and drink cold beverages, animals are not that lucky. If they can't stay cool, dairy cows produce less milk and beef cattle gain weight more slowly.
Now Agricultural Research Service scientists at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Clay Center, Neb., have new information that helps producers recognize overheated cattle and protect the animals when temperatures rise.
There are a few ways to check the effects of temperature on cattle. One is to compare the temperature and humidity to a graph to see if the animals are in the danger range. Another way is to measure the animals' respiration level. Cows lose heat primarily through respiration and will begin to pant if they overheat.
During hot days, operators can count, with a stopwatch, the breaths per minute (bpm) of a few cattle to see if they exceed the healthy 60 to 80 bpm level. To simplify this process, ARS agricultural engineer Roger Eigenberg has developed a respiration monitor that will be available in the near future. The nonintrusive device, strapped to the animal, has a sensor that measures its respiration. A small computer stores the information and converts it into usable data.
Researchers suggest two general ways to help animals when they are heat stressed. One way is with a sprinkler system. ARS agricultural engineer John A. Nienaber notes that watering should be done intermittently to allow the animals to dry, because evaporation cools them. Another way is to provide shade or shelter for the animals. These devices may save the farmer money by keeping production relatively stable. Nienaber also suggests not working with cattle during very hot, humid periods.
Read more about this research in the July issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.


Return to top


Research
                            Media
                            About ARS
                            Work With Us


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov