When I thought our weather couldn’t get much crazier, it does!.Going from rowing a boat to the barn to busting up concrete in the garden! Mother nature is throwing it all at farmers this year, six inches of heavy rain received in the first 14 days of June left a bad black eye on many crop fields across the county. Loss of nitrogen in corn, drowned out soybeans, unplanted and weedy fields are just a few examples of damage that occurred. It is nice to have some drier weather, allowing producers to get the remainder of crops planted and hay harvested.

Many producers are now hoping that the faucet doesn’t shut off completely. Heavy rains can cause a lot of surface compaction, this is especially true for grown that has been tilled. When the soil surface becomes compacted moisture can not infiltrate down to the plant roots, allowing them to survive hot and try spells. Another challenge that producers are facing is the quick change in air temperature and quality, The week of June 13 – 18 presented some of the hottest temperatures this year, this was followed by the previous week’s temperatures that barely got out of the 70’s. Some temperature indexes reached 100 and above with the humidity. This large swing in temperatures can cause extreme heat stress on livestock and you. I want to discuss some options and consideration for alleviating heat stress on livestock has we inter the first full week of summer.

Every different type of livestock raised on the farm have different levels of heat tolerance, some handle heat better than other and this can be true among different breeds of livestock, for example I raise a few hair sheep on my farm I have Dorper’s and Katahdin hair sheep. The Dorper breed was developed in South Africa and can take the heat much better than the Katahdins that were developed in north central Maine. Different types of livestock also have different natural ways that adapt to the heat and stay cool. Quick changes in weather can cause quite the shock to livestock, preventing them to adapt and build up resistance or heat tolerance. This quick change has had quite the effect on cattle feeder out west that have experienced a great loss due to uncharacteristic weather patterns that are not common in the region. High temperatures with high humidity levels created hot air mass called a heat dome over the feedlot region that commonly don’t experience high humidity levels. Livestock had little time to adapt, and the quick change caused extreme heat stress, leading to loss of life. Some things you need to consider when it comes to heat stress on your farm this summer.

· It starts with water- Water is the source of life, when livestock have cool clean water, they will be better able to adapt and resist heat stress.

· Provide shade- Solar radiation added to high temperatures and humidity can added cause dehydration and body temperatures to rise rapidly.

· Now the signs- Signs that livestock are stressing out include increased respiration, panting, reduced feed intake. For swine, heat stress can cause shock to the nervous system making the pig have muscle tremors, blotchy skin or flushing, loud vocalization, and reluctance to move. For poultry paleness of the comb or wattle, lifting the wings away from the body, diarrhea, and convulsions are all symptoms. For Cattle heat stress can cause groups of cattle to stand in huddles, increased drooling, and restlessness. For horses profuse sweating, increased respiration, and droopy ears are all signs of heat stress.

· Be aware of weather changes- Watching the forecast and being aware of sudden changes are important in being prepared and alleviating any heat stress issues. Don’t forget to account for humidity levels for instance, the temperature might be 84°F but with a 70% humidity this makes the heat index well into the 90s and close to 100°F.

Some other items”

· Crop planting certification with USDA FSA – July 15.

· Adams County Fair – July 10 – 16 make plans to attend and support the future leaders of our county and country.

· Ohio State Fair- July 27 – August 7

· Southwest Corn Growers- Agronomy field Day will be held August 16. Contact Ken Ford with ANR Educator for Fayette County OSU Extension for more details. Phone- (740) 335-1150 or email at ford.70 @ osu.edu