Much effort is going in to the 2021 Convention and Championship Show to provide Longhorn enthusiast a terrific time on October 6 - 9 in Glen Rose, Texas. This issue of the Longhorn Drover has all the information and you can download all the forms on the ITLA web Site. The Championship Futurity is now a member of the Longhorn Legacy Futurity Money Earners and excitement is sure to abound as the Championship Futurity is the final Futurity of the year in the chase for the money earner titles. The Elite Sale, to benefit the ITLA, has already received commitments from prominent breeders consigning outstanding Longhorn females. New ITLA Youth Directors, Curtis and Tonya Abel, are doing a great job and have many new and exciting events planned for the youth including speech contests, art contests, photography contests, youth socials, youth tailgate party, trivia contest, etc. The new ITLA Queen and Princess will be crowned. The ITLA Scholarship will be awarded. International Champions will be selected by highly respected Longhorn Judges in the Haltered, Youth, and Non-Haltered Shows. Seminars, Member Meetings, Director Meetings, and Affiliate Meetings will occur. Your new Officers and Directors will be installed and the business affairs of the ITLA will be conducted. The ITLA Headquarters will host a not to miss social and branding party and Barn Social It is going to be an outstanding time for the ITLA and everyone with a passion for Longhorns is welcome at the ITLA’s big event. As long as government travel restrictions do not hinder, I am aware of ITLA Members from three countries outside of the USA who are planning to attend. Everyone is Invited!!
2021 ITLA CONVENTION & CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW Wednesday, October 6, 2021
9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M. – Receive Cattle 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. – Youth Social - Concourse 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. – Barn Social – Saloon
Thursday, October 7, 2021
8:00 A.M. – Championship Non-Haltered Show – Show Barn Arena 8:00 A.M. – Youth Longhorn Trivia Contest – Show Barn Arena 1:00 P.M. – Seminar - Banquet Hall 3:00 P.M. – Affiliate Presidents Meeting – Banquet Hall 4:30 P.M. – Board of Directors Meeting – ITLA Headquarters 6:00 P.M. – Social/Branding Party – ITLA Headquarters 6:00 P.M – Youth Tailgate Party – ITLA Headquarters
Friday, October 8, 2021
8:00 A.M. – Championship Haltered Show – Main Arena 3:00 P.M. – Youth Photographs and Arts and Crafts Entries Due 4:00 P.M. – Youth Speech Contest – Banquet Hall 5:00 P.M. – Elite Sale – Show Barn Arena 6:00 P.M. – Championship Longhorn Futurity/Dinner – Show Barn Arena
Saturday, October 8, 2021
8:00 A.M. – General Membership Meeting/Board of Directors Meeting – Banquet Hall 9:00 A.M. – Championship Youth Show – Main Arena 4:00 P.M. – Queen Contest Interviews – Show Office 6:00 P.M. – Social/ITLA Queen Fashion Show – Banquet Hall 7:00 P.M. – Annual Awards Banquet – Banquet Hall
IN MEMORY OF ITLA LIFETIME MEMBER BART MAY OF BLUFF DALE TX
Long time Longhorn Breeder and ITLA Lifetime Member Bart May, from Bluff Dale, Texas, went home to be with Jesus on July 17, 2021. Bart was a respected ITLA Judge and was voted by his peers to receive the Pioneer Breeder of the Year Award in 2005. Bart, with the love of his life Phyllis, raised Longhorns for many years on their beloved Rocky Bluff Ranch, in Bluff Dale, Texas where many show champions originated from. Bart was a strong supporter of the ITLA, the youth, and was instrumental in the organization of the Metroplex and Chisholm Trail Affiliates. Bart will be missed by his many Longhorn friends who knew him as a loving family man, devout Christian, and dedicated friend to the Longhorn world. Please keep Bart’s family, friends, and his Longhorn Posse Affiliate family in your prayers
NORTHEAST TEXAS LONGHORN ASSOCIATION FREDERICK MARYLAND JUNE 26, 2021
OHIO RIVER VALLEY TEXAS LONGHORN ASSOCIATION 24TH ANNUAL SHOW JULY 17, 2021
ITLA Youth Member Anabelle Minchew recently competed in the 2021 Parker County Youth Livestock Show held in Weatherford, Texas. Every year over 500 FFA and 4H members compete in the show.
Bella competed in the cattle division, as well as the photo contest where her photograph of the Longhorn Steer, Lakota, won Champion honors. Congratulations to Bella, and thank you for putting Longhorns in front of fair attendees!
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2021 Queen, Princess, and Little Miss ITLA Contest Little Miss ITLA * Ages 11 & Under ITLA Princess * Ages 12 – 15 ITLA Queen * Ages 16 - 20
Entry Deadline – September 24th, 2021 Contestant Name: _____________________________________________________________________________ DOB: _______________________________ ITLA Youth Membership #:________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________ City: _______________________ State: ____________ Zip:_______________ Phone: _____________________ Email: ________________________________________ When did you join ITLA: ________________________ Please attach an essay that describes yourself including your extracurricular activities, your current association with Longhorns, your favorite reason for spending time with Longhorns, how you see your involvement with Longhorns 10 years from now, and what would you do if you were President of the ITLA for a day. Please include multiple photos of yourself as well as a letter of recommendation from a non-family member on why you would be an asset representing the ITLA as Queen or Princess. •
If selected as Miss ITLA Youth Queen or Princess, I agree to abide by all ITLA rules and guidelines. I further agree to represent the ITLA in a professional manner, attend ITLA events when possible, communicate on the ITLA’s social media pages, and author a monthly letter in the Longhorn Drover Magazine.
Contestant Signature:______________________________________________ Date:______________________ Parent/Guardian Signature: ________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Mail Application To: International Texas Longhorn Association P.O. Box 2610 Glen Rose, Texas 76043 staff@itla.com
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BUCKLE SPONSORS Bull and Barrel Longhorns Chisolm Trail Texas Longhorn Association EJS Ranch Happy Horned Ranch Herdsman Auctions Courtney Lee Redeemed by Grace Ranch Dave & Althea Sullivan Texas Longhorn Austria Top of the West Texas Longhorn Association TRAIL BOSS SPONSOR 2M Miniature Longhorns David & Mary Mann Best of Trails Longhorn Association Falls Creek Longhorns FUTURITY & TRAIL BOSS SPONSOR Lonesome Pines Ranch John & Christy Randolph EVENT SPONSORS Youth Tailgate Party Abel Longhorns- Curtis & Tonya Abel OK Corral and Good Time Gulch Youth area D3 Farms - Dwayne & Megan Dinsmore and Victory Ranch - Shadow & Bonnie Seaman
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Queen Tuttess DOB: 4/11/2007 Top Caliber x Jewel of The Nile
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Cattle branding still plays an important role in identifying an animal's owner in cattle ranching. The practice of branding is ancient. Some Egyptian tomb paintings at least 4,000 years old depict scenes of roundups and cattle branding, and biblical evidence suggests that Jacob the herdsman branded his stock. Fire or Freeze branding mark into the hide of an animal is the only method of marking that lasted the life of the animal. The practice of branding came to the New World with the Spaniards, who brought the first cattle to New Spain.
Every ITLA Member is expected to comply with the ITLA By-Laws on branding cattle for permanent identification purposes as updated in ARTICLE SIXTEEN REGISTRATIONS Registration Requirements for Non-Cloned animals. a. The sex of animal. b. The name of the animal. c. The date of birth (year, month and day). d. The individual fire or freeze brand ID number and its location on the animal. e. The holding ownership fire or freeze brand and its location on the animal. f. Color description in detail g. The name and registration number of sire. h. The name and registration number of dam. i. Signature of owner of sire. j. The name of the appropriate sire on service date of bred cow, for natural service only. A.I. service must attach A.I. Certificates. k. The name and address of breeder (owner of record of the dam at time of service). l. The ITLA will issue registration certificates on steers that are from a registered Texas Longhorn herd. The registration application shall state that it is a steer and will include the individual id number, holding brand, and detailed color description. m. Registration application shall be eligible for processing upon receipt of a completed application, containing proper signatures, and receipt of the appropriate fees.
To the ITLA Directors and Members,
What has been going on in Winnsboro? The Army Worm battle of 2021. All the rain we had in the beginning of the year led to a horrible case of Army Worms. The worms hit our meadows in the middle of July and luckily, our meadows were almost ready to cut, so we did. Spraying for Army Worms is something nobody likes to do, but it is a necessary evil if you want to have anything for your cattle to eat in the winter. In our area, a restricted use product called Lambda® is the chosen product. The people that do not have their Private Applicator’s license still had a product called Malathion® available to use. It does cost more. We did a comparison of sprays on my Aunt’s place and saw both products were effective in the initial kill of the worms. We also used a product called Dimilin® to make sure they gave us a little time to get the hay baled before they started eating again(for the residual). BIG NEWS for my education! I was accepted, at 16 years old (they had to approve me because their age requirement is 18), to Penn Foster for my Associates. I am enrolled in the Veterinary Tech Program and I hope to complete it by the time I graduate high school in 2023. This Program is AVMA Accredited and allows me to sit for the test to be a LVT (Licensed Vet Tech). I am very excited about this and can’t wait to learn more about helping animals. As of now, I have 3 calves in my weaning pen and look forward to showing them off at the CTTLA Show in Decatur in September. I can’t wait to see everyone!
What is the next big thing? The ITLA Championship Show in October. I have already started writing my speech for the speech contest. Don’t let this sneak up on you. Start early! Longhorns and the longhorn breeders and want to promote them all day, every day. You need to hold yourself to a very high standard. This means your personal facebook page, your behavior in public and the daily choices you make are reflections on the ITLA, once you are crowned. Be yourself in the interview. Do not try to be what you think the Judges want you to be. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. No matter the outcome of this contest, You will come out with awesome experiences, new friends and more confidence for putting yourself out there. A crown doesn’t define you and not having one doesn’t make you NOT be able to promote the breed. I was promoting Texas Longhorn Cattle long before I was Princess and will be promoting them for years down the line. Do what you love and love what you do. -”Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard” quoted by Tim Notke, a high school coach. I want to thank the ITLA and the membership for allowing me the opportunity to represent you as your ITLA Youth Princess and I want to encourage anyone with a passion for the International Texas Longhorn Association and Longhorns in general to run for Queen/Princess and give it all you have and have no regrets about not trying. You will have more regrets over the things you didn’t try than the ones you did. GO FOR IT. Sincerely, Your ITLA Youth Princess- Blaine Moore
The Untold Early History of the Famous Fort Worth Herd by Darol Dickinson 8-03-21 RePrinted from eDrover In 1948 or thereabouts, my dad, Frank Dickinson, took me to the Fort Worth Stockyards. I was a little bare-footed kid walking the bricks of a world-class stockyard where millions of cattle had trod. It seemed big, like the whole world was filled with cattle and tall wooden corrals. To the east were two processing plants, Swift and Armor, also world-class. Large ranches shipped train car loads of cattle to Fort Worth to sell for either processing or breeding stock. Thousands of cattle moved through these yards weekly. The stockyards were a beehive of activity. Dad worked as a salesman for the Nord-Hutchins Commission Company. Ranchers sent herds of cattle, consigning them to their most trusted commission company. Over 100 of these companies handled the private-treaty sales of millions of cattle. Dad would sort out a load, some of which would be sold to the packing plants and go up the big east ramp to their final service to humanity. Bred cows had different values, so Dad would “bump” them to determine pregnancy. Those would sell for breeding stock if they were useful. He would “mouth” them to determine age, then decide what they were worth and who of his clients might want this inventory. The sorting for values was Dad’s job. Getting the sort right was a very important service for the cattle owners and something Nord-Hutchins Commission Company was known for doing well.
As a little kid, my memory is stretching. I recall a red-rock office building on the north side of the yards where we entered. I liked to run the overhead walkways overlooking the
waiting herds. There were no large pot semis or gooseneck trailers — that was before their time. Things changed. Just a few miles south at Burleson, a state-of-the-art livestock auction facility was built on the west side of old Highway 81. Competing livestock auctions sprouted up in ranching areas everywhere until the volume for Swift, Armor, and the Fort Worth Stockyards dwindled down to a few hundred acres of splinter-filled wooden corrals aging in the hot Texas sun. The fame and fortune that cattle brought to north Texas seemed to be a thing of the distant past, gone forever. Famous saddle makers located on North Main Street—Leddys, L. White, and Ryans— dribbled from a stampede of cowhands buying gear to more of a tourist attraction for people who liked the smell of new leather.
Fort Worth Union Stockyards opened for business on January 19, 1890, covering 206 acres. The Fort Worth Stockyards Company was created in 1893. The first five decades of the 20th century were the most successful for the company. During World War I, foreign governments purchased draft animals, making Fort Worth the largest horse-andmule market in the world. In Ron Marquess organized his crew to haul in 47 steers, plus horses 1944, sales exceeded 5 milto do the ITLA first Drovers Cattle Drive through Fort Worth on lion head of livestock. Mules Memorial Day, 1998. were shipped by boat across the oceans, standing tied for Many tried to resurrect the Stockyards area, weeks—they can do that. but even then, crime was rampant every night. • • • The excitement and western romance were Fast forward a half-century to 1998 to the gone. The cattle were gone. The adrenaline was International Texas Longhorn Association gone. (ITLA), with headquarters back then on the • • • west side of Fort Worth. It was searching for Originally settled in 1849 as an Army outcreative ways to promote Texas Longhorns post along the Trinity River, Fort Worth was with public events, field days, and educational one of eight forts assigned to protect settlers from Indian attacks in the surrounding area. The cattle industry was king for a generation of people working the Fort Worth leg of the historic Chisholm Trail, which ran from the 1860s to the 1870s. Fort Worth became the heart of the State’s ranching commerce when the Texas & Pacific Railway arrived in 1876. The railroad made the area a very important livestock center. In the years that followed, a city grew where an Army camp once stood. In 1887, the Union Stockyards were chartered in Fort Worth, The big steers quietly prissed along the brick drover route down Exchange Avenue to the Stock Yards corwhich had earned the nickname “Cowrals. No broken glass, no horses bucked anyone off, all town” for its volume handling of livewent well. stock.
The herd of Texas Longhorn steers and handlers road in the shadows of Fort Worth’s tallest sky scrapers down through the Trinity River Valley to the Stock Yards.
programs. Spurred by ITLA’s past-president Joe Valentine and then-current president Darol Dickinson, a downtown Drovers Cattle Drive right through Fort Worth was organized. City fathers were not so confident about this new crazy idea. Valentine assured them the Texas Longhorns would be handled professionally and do no damage to the city. Still, they had visions of wild-eyed steers flying through storefront windows with death and destruction rampant in every direction. With more of Valentine’s persistent persuasion, how-
ever, they agreed—but ITLA had to purchase a major insurance policy to cover all anticipated damages. The ITLA Board of Directors was solidly behind this high-risk promotion. On Memorial Day weekend 1998, after months of planning, loads of steers and saddle horses came in from several states. The herd gathered just north of the Fort Worth skyscrapers and west of the Trinity River Railroad Trestle Bridge. Ron Marquess of Ben Wheeler, TX, had loaded and delivered trailers of big-horned steers before dawn. Ron and his crew slept in their trucks awaiting first light. Steers were provided by Marquess, George McVay of Mt. Vernon, and R. D. Baldwin of Midlothian, TX. A couple dozen hands brought horses to contain the “stampede.” Also a few trained riding steers were mixed in. To say this was exciting would be an understatement. Two of the city councilmen watched from a safe distance, including Steve Murrin, the unofficial mayor of the Fort Worth Stockyards. I went ahead of the herd to photograph this historical event — the first trail drive like this through Fort Worth since the 1880s. As the steer herd settled and pointed east, some horses were a little jumpy, not totally ready for this up-town event. The first obstacle was moving the herd under the Trestle Bridge, when all of a sudden, chugging down the track came the regularly scheduled train, banging, clanking, and whistling along. Everyone expected the worst, but the calm steers quietly moseyed along parallel to the Trinity River. The first-only ITLA Drovers Cattle Drive lasted over an hour. It went without a hitch, winding around the Trinity Valley and on to the Stockyards corrals. People came from everywhere, rubber-necking and taking photos along Exchange Avenue. It was stunning. The crowd had never seen anything like this. After the steers were corralled and munch-
The 1880s dress ‘after the drive dinner.’ L to R - Dr. Gene Hightower, Lana Hightower, Anne and Gary Henry and Darol Dickinson
ing on some new green hay, an 1880s costume event took place with food and fixings for all. The councilmen, including Murring, attended. Valentine and I proposed to the city leaders that a daily Texas Longhorn drive down Exchange Avenue would be the greatest tourism event of all times. Fort Worth—”cow town”— had lost its steam. The cattle were gone and the yards were rotting. This drive would be the resurrection Fort Worth needed. We thought this was a no-brainer, but the Council had reservations about financing, liability, and numerous other concerns. The following day, the Fort Worth Star Telegram and local TV stations sent out positive news covering this first trail drive organized by ITLA. There was national recognition. With no broken windows, all was well. Over a year passed. It appeared all was forgotten—and then it happened. On June 12, 1999, the Fort Worth Herd made its debut. ITLA had been working behind the scenes for members to donate big steers to the project. From the downtown Fort Worth Convention Center, 15 donated steers were driven to the Stockyards. Thousands of enthusiastic spectators watched these historic beasts saunter
through the center of town, cheering excitedly and taking photos at every corner. Today and every day at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on East Exchange Avenue, the Old West comes to life before your very eyes during the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive. Real cowhands in period dress move Texas Longhorns down East Exchange Avenue in the Stockyards National Historic District. This tourism experience offers an unforgettable glimpse deep into the past. You’ll hear the jingle of spurs, the cattle bawling, and the rhythm of the hooves. As the steers pass, a bygone era again comes to life. Now, 23 years after the inaugural ITLA Texas Longhorn Drover event, the Fort Worth Herd is the second-most-popular tourism attraction in the state of Texas. Big-eyed afficionados of the West come from all over the world to watch real, live Texas Longhorns.
Heatherly and current ITLA President Larry P Smith II, donated Valentino to the Fort Worth Herd in 2011, and now Boots is their twice daily star, and younger replacement donated steer.
Drones, The Next Technology for Longhorns? by: Larry Smith The use of drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s), is relatively new to the ranching and livestock industry, but they are quickly catching on for the many advantages they can offer. While many may wish to go about taking care of their Longhorns the old fashioned way, or prefer quiet peaceful skies, the benefits of drones can be big in labor savings, provide looks into the rugged or brushy areas, and can be an invaluable tool when action and time is of the essence. While software, or apps, for the use of drones in farming is in full force, ranching software is limited but it appears that is fixing to change. Software is available now for precision farming in the mapping of fields, crop stand counts, determining crop infestation, soil analysis for fertilizer and irrigation monitoring, pesticide and fertilizer application, etc. Current models can apply pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer, or seed from above on to up to 60 acres per day by one operator. Drone operators in rough, vast countries, such as Australia, have become proficient at rounding up livestock into the working pens in landscapes that are difficult for motorized vehicles or horses to navigate. In the feed lots of the United States, thermal imaging testing with drones is underway to identify cattle that are running fever for earlier treatment to minimize the cost of feeder cattle illnesses. Drone software technology currently is in use in feed lots to confirm head counts.
The use of drones for scheduled activities on a Longhorn Ranch has endless possibilities such as locating the herd, performing counts, fence checks, crop and hay evaluation, forage and grass checks, etc. When timing is of the essence with Longhorns, drones can be utilized to find sick or down cattle, locate missing cattle, locate calving cows, perform checks during natural disasters, or getting a look into pastures that are too wet or rough to navigate. With new technologies comes rules that must be adhered to, and this includes the ownership of drones. Drones must be registered with the FAA, as well as the user must follow FAA guidelines such as keeping the drone in sight, do not interfere with manned aircraft, fly under 400 ft., never fly under the influence, etc. The cost of drones for agriculture and ranching has come down significantly as more manufacturers have jumped into production to meet the recreation craze. Currently, the majority of drones are sold for pleasure flying with the toy drones starting at $20.00. Drones affixed with cameras for usable imaging starts at around $300.00. If professional production quality images are desired, prices start at around $1,000.00 and go up based on features. All in all, a small price to pay when an expensive, and/or favorite, Longhorn needs eyes on it. Drones with the capacity to apply fertilizer, pesticide, herbicide, seed, etc. run substantially more. While drones are not for every Longhorn breeder or their pasture, the low cost could make the difference in locating that favorite Longhorn or getting a look at that special speckled newborn calf that mom has done a good job of hiding out.
The ITLA thanks the following early consignors for their donation of outstanding Elite Heifers in support of the ITLA. John Stockton Russell Freeman Sue Burton Jeremy Johnson Joel Dickinson Joe Dowling Lovejoy Longhorns Dickinson Cattle Company
2021 INTERNATIONAL PHOTO SHOW! DO NOT MISS OUT IN OCTOBER, SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS NOW TO WIN A BUCKLE!
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2021 ITLA Championship International Photo Show
Entry Deadline - September 25th, 2021
Animals Full Registered Name: __________________________________________________________________ DOB: ____________________ Class: _____________ ITLA Registration # : _____________________________ Registered Owners Name: ________________________________________Owners ITLA#: ________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Country:________________________Phone #: ___________________Email:____________________________ Forms must have a copy of the registration certificates (front & back) attached for each entry along with the designated entry fee for each animal. Make all payments payable to the: ITLA •
All exhibitors must be an ITLA member and all entries must be ITLA registered.
•
You can enter more than one animal, please use a separate form for each entry.
•
I here by give permission for my photo entry to be published or used for ITLA marketing Owners Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ___________________________
Class 1 – Junior Cow ( Born 2018 – 2020 ) Class 2 – Senior Cow ( Born 2015 - 2017 ) Class 3 – Junior Bulls ( Born 2018 - 2020 ) Class 4 – Senior Bulls ( Born 2015 - 2017 ) Entry fees are $20 per animal Payment: Visa / Mastercard / Discover Card# __________________________________ Expiration Date: _____________ 3 digit code: ________ Mail or Email Entries & Payment To: International Texas Longhorn Association P.O. Box 2610 Glen Rose, Texas 76043 staff@itla.com
Heat Stress In Beef Cattle As temperatures heat up during the summer cattle producers need to assess the heat stress that their cattle are under. Typically pastured cattle are not as susceptible to heat stress as feedlot cattle. Pastured cattle have the ability to seek shade, water and air movement to cool themselves. In addition, radiant heat from dirt or concrete surface is increased for feedlot cattle. At temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit cattle endure physiologic stress trying to deal with their heat load. Although cattle at this temperature are not at risk of dying they will have an increased maintenance requirement to cope with the heat. Feedlot operators should have a plan to manage heat to not only prevent death loss but also performance loss from decreased efficiency and feed intake. Compared to other animals cattle cannot dissipate their heat load very effectively. Cattle do not sweat effectively and rely on respiration to cool themselves. A compounding factor on top of climatic conditions is the fermentation process within the rumen generates additional heat that cattle need to dissipate. Since cattle do not dissipate heat effectively they accumulate a heat load during the day and dissipate heat at night when it is cooler. During extreme weather conditions with insufficient environmental cooling at night cattle will accumulate heat that they cannot disperse. Therefore, a temperature-humidity index (THI) alone may not predict cattle heat stress because it does not account for accumulated heat load. Another short fall of THI is that it does not account for solar radiation and wind speed which can affect heat load of cattle. Cattle should not be worked during times of extreme heat and only early in morning when it is hot. Working cattle will elevate their body temperature. Cattle should not wait in processing areas longer than 30 minutes when it is hot. Do not work cattle in the evening even if it has cooled off a little. Cattle’s core temperature peaks 2 hours after peak environmental temperature. It also takes at least 6 hours for cattle to dissipate their heat load. Therefore, if peak temperature occurred at 4:00 pm cattle will not have recovered from that heat load until after 12:00 am and it will be later than that before cattle have fully recovered from the entire days heat load. Feedlots should evaluate cattle daily, especially during July and August, for evidence of heat stress. Special attention should be paid to cattle with increased risk of heat stress including heavy cattle, black cattle and respiratory compromised animals.
Heavy cattle cannot handle heat stress compared to lighter weight cattle. Increased fat deposition prevents cattle from regulating their heat effectively. Solar radiation is a critical component that can lead to death loss from heat stress. Typically, proportionality more black hided cattle die during heat waves then other hide colors. Since cattle rely on respiration as a method to manage heat respiratory function is important. Cattle that had severe respiratory disease early in the feeding period will have decreased ability to regulate their heat load.
Managing Heat Stress The water requirements of cattle increases during heat stress. Cattle lose water from increased respiration and perspiration. Additionally, consumption of water is the quickest method for cattle to reduce their core body temperature. Therefore, water consumption will be greater than typical metabolic requirements. Rule of thumb is that cattle need 3 inches of linear water space per head during the summer. Extra water tanks should be introduced prior to extreme heat events so that cattle become accustomed to them. Waterers need to be kept clean to encourage cattle to consume adequate water. The water supply should be able to deliver 1.1% of body weight of the cattle per hour. A 1000 pound animal needs about 1.5 gallons of water per hour. Heat production from feed intake peaks 4 to 6 hours after feeding. Therefore heat production in cattle fed in the morning will peak in the middle of the day when environmental temperatures are also elevated. Cattle should receive a least 70% of their feed 2 to 4 hours after peak ambient temperature. Changing the ration has been controversial but research indicates that lowering the energy content of diet will decrease the heat load. The general recommendation is to reduce the diet energy content by 5 to 7%. Shade can be critical in determining whether cattle die during extreme heat events, especially for black cattle. To be effective there needs to be 20 to 40 square feet of shade per animal. If the shade structure has an east-west orientation then ground under the shade will remain cooler. However, if mud is an issue then a north-south orientation will increase drying as the shade moves across the ground during the day. The height of the shade structure should be greater than 8 feet tall to allow sufficient air movement under the shade.
Increasing the air flow can help cattle cope with extreme heat events. Wind speed has been shown to be associated with ability of cattle to regulate their heat load. Although we cannot influence wind speed, feedlots can increase ability for cattle to be exposed to air movement. Utilize temporary wind breaks in winter to allow maximal air movement in summer. Remove tall vegetation within 150 feet of the feedlot pens. Tall earthen mounds will allow cattle more exposure to air movement. Feedlots should assess their feedlot and know which pens have poor air movement. Avoid using these pens for cattle that will be approaching slaughter weights in mid to late summer. Another factor that feedlots can address is to control flies. Biting flies cause cattle to bunch up which decreases cooling. Minimizing breeding areas for flies and applying insecticides to decrease fly populations prior to heat stress times is worthwhile. Sprinklers can be used to cool cattle during times of stress. Sprinklers increase evaporative cooling and can reduce ground temperature. Sprinklers should thoroughly wet the animal and not just mist the air in order to cool the animal. Before installing a system make sure the water supply is adequate to provide drinking water and sprinklers. Sprinkle intermittently to avoid mud and increased humidity. Sprinklers should be placed away from feed bunks and waterers. Cattle need to be introduced to sprinklers prior to extreme heat. Cattle not used to sprinklers will try to avoid the spray. Additionally, sprinklers need to be used before cattle are in extreme stress. Thermal shock from cold water can kill cattle that are extremely stressed. Once sprinklers are utilized they need to be continued until the heat event is over and cattle can manage on their own.
Warning signs
Feedlots need to monitor environmental temperatures throughout the summer. Any time the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) is above 80 cattle will be under heat stress. Hot weather following precipitation can increase the THI dramatically. Finally if overnight temperatures are above 70°F cattle will have increased heat stress. During times of increased heat stress cattle should be observed closely to i dentify if additional strategies need to be implemented. Initially feed intake will drop off and cattle become restless. As heat stress increases cattle will begin to slobber and respiration rates will increase. Eventually, cattle will begin to group together. In severe heat stress cattle will be open mouth breathing with a labored effort. Feedlots need to monitor for heat stress and implement strategies to minimize impact on cattle to prevent severe death from heat stress.
Article credit: Dr.Grant Dewell - ISU Beef Extention Veterinarian
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