Prolonged heat exposure can cause problems for cattle herds. But there’s a new tool available for ranchers to help detect heat stress in cattle. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has launched a new smartphone application (app) that can help prevent heat-induced losses in their herds.
Heat stress can cause diminished appetite, reduced growth or weight gain, greater susceptibility to disease and, in some cases, even death in cattle.
The risk increases for cattle kept in confined feedlot pens, according to Tami Brown-Brandl, an ARS agricultural engineer at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC).
She said weather-related factors like humidity, wind speed and solar radiation can also contribute to heat stress.
But the app is designed to help. It issues forecasts one to seven days in advance of extreme heat conditions, according to the USDA. It also provides recommended actions that ranchers can take during a heat-stress event.
Previous heat-stress detection technology was already in place through USMARC researchers and the USDA-ARS webpage. The new app makes it more accessible for ranchers to access the information while in the field.
The app is available at both Google Play and the App Store.
A list of ARS mobile apps is also available.