100 Plus Temps affecting your cattle

[C HOLLAND]

We have had above 100 deg temps here in SE Alabama for about 6 days straight now and I have all my cows coming to the house for water now (best shade in the corral)

I notice that all the cows will come to get water around 9-10 am and stay until after 4PM each day and the Chars,Angus and Sims are the first to water but the Brangus will follow them but will be the last to water.
I think the Brangus only follow the lead cow (Chars) because they are coming to water, but I would think that the Brangus would stay in the pasture and graze longer if thats all I had.

I had one of my Chars scare the crap out of me yesterday, she was laying spread out like she was dead. I walked over to her and rubbed her head and she just layed there, then I slapped her on the rump and she slowly stood up. She has always been one the calmest cows I own and I can rub her most anytime I want and she will tolerate it fairly well.
I guess I would move slower too if I was out in this weather all day too.

How is everyone else fairing in this weather.

 

[Frankie]

We have had above 100 deg temps here in SE Alabama for about 6 days straight now and I have all my cows coming to the house for water now (best shade in the corral)

I notice that all the cows will come to get water around 9-10 am and stay until after 4PM each day and the Chars,Angus and Sims are the first to water but the Brangus will follow them but will be the last to water.
I think the Brangus only follow the lead cow (Chars) because they are coming to water, but I would think that the Brangus would stay in the pasture and graze longer if thats all I had.

I had one of my Chars scare the crap out of me yesterday, she was laying spread out like she was dead. I walked over to her and rubbed her head and she just layed there, then I slapped her on the rump and she slowly stood up. She has always been one the calmest cows I own and I can rub her most anytime I want and she will tolerate it fairly well.
I guess I would move slower too if I was out in this weather all day too.

How is everyone else fairing in this weather.

We haven't hit 100 yet, but close. The cows are having a much easier year of it than last year when it was 100 degrees in April. Plus they've got plenty of grass this year. It doesn't take them long to get their belly full. Then they head for the shade. If I had to be out there, I'd stand in the shade, too.

 

[WORANCH]

It's been 101-105 for the past week here also . The beefmaster cows graze till about 11 and then head for the shade .today some of the Angus cows were in the pond at 7am .

 

[WORANCH]

My cows are not having any problems at all fortunately. We have ritchie waterers here and are on city water. If we didnt have them we would be having to haul water in to our cattle or sell out because all the ponds and streams on the place are dried up.

I would hate to pay A water bill for cows .. :shock:

 

[C HOLLAND]

My cows are not having any problems at all fortunately. We have ritchie waterers here and are on city water. If we didnt have them we would be having to haul water in to our cattle or sell out because all the ponds and streams on the place are dried up.

I would hate to pay A water bill for cows .. :shock:

I am on city water for mine too, but I am building a pond this fall and will have water run to all my pastures next year.

The cost is not real bad per cow, my best estimate is about 1$ per month per head. The good thing is you can keep the water fresher than from a pond, and the city water doesnt suffer from the drought.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We have a real good well and have faucets by all our stock tanks in each pasture. Also, run 3-10 above ground sprinklers (not more than 50-60 gpm total) periodically to keep grass alive in some of our pens/small pasture areas.

Our longhorns usually graze/eat hay in morning and early evening and generally prefer to lay out in sun catching a breeze. Sometimes one or more will go into a loafing shed, but usually prefer to be out in our daily wind.

On Co-Op electricity, we usually don't spend more than $1.50 to $2.00 per A.U. per month on drinkling & sprinkling water. Our well is on a separate elec. meter from the rest of our stuff.

 

[WORANCH]

My cows are not having any problems at all fortunately. We have ritchie waterers here and are on city water. If we didnt have them we would be having to haul water in to our cattle or sell out because all the ponds and streams on the place are dried up.

I would hate to pay A water bill for cows .. :shock:

I am on city water for mine too, but I am building a pond this fall and will have water run to all my pastures next year.

The cost is not real bad per cow, my best estimate is about 1$ per month per head. The good thing is you can keep the water fresher than from a pond, and the city water doesnt suffer from the drought.

We have 2 year round springs but when it gets hot I close off the big spring to keep the angus from standing in it. They like that cold spring water alot better than the hot pond water.

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:

How is everyone else fairing in this weather.

Well, we are still dry lot feeding just like it is the middle of winter.
That should answer your question!
We got a little rain in the last two months but it is starting to brown out again.

Now about this city water thing.
Can you still sell your beef as "all natural" when they are drinking chlorinated water? :lol:
SL

 

[Bez+]

Water consumption has gone up -otherwise all is well at the farm.

Bez+

 

[Jogeephus]

Its been miserably hot and humid here. Cows seem to have become tree huggers and spend most of their time in the shade. Thankfully the grass is lush and they don't really have to work for their food.

 

[TheBullLady]

Pretty much the same here. Some of the black simmy's are in the pond by 9:00. The rest are under shade trees by 11:00 or so, except the Brahmans and Simbrahs. They lay down about then, but in the sun.

I'm really glad that we've thinned out the trees as much as we did. It really makes a big difference with getting some wind movement through the pastures on these hot days. Hubby is working on a job near College Station and the trees are so thick it's stifling. No breeze at all.

 

[J&T Farm]

It has been over a 100 for about 5 days here and its going to be 104 tomorrow. So far the cows are ok. Our cows drink well water. And they have been drinking alot the last few days. I have been alittle worried about them but they seem to be handleing it . Knock on wood. :lol:

 

[C HOLLAND]

Re:

How is everyone else fairing in this weather.

Well, we are still dry lot feeding just like it is the middle of winter.
That should answer your question!
We got a little rain in the last two months but it is starting to brown out again.

Now about this city water thing.
Can you still sell your beef as "all natural" when they are drinking chlorinated water? :lol:
SL

Well they cook up just fine and it's amazing how the chlorine just blends right in with the salt and pepper. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Paul54]

Cows are doing good. Plenty grass and I have well water piped to all pastures.

 

[Caustic Burno]

We have had above 100 deg temps here in SE Alabama for about 6 days straight now and I have all my cows coming to the house for water now (best shade in the corral)

I notice that all the cows will come to get water around 9-10 am and stay until after 4PM each day and the Chars,Angus and Sims are the first to water but the Brangus will follow them but will be the last to water.
I think the Brangus only follow the lead cow (Chars) because they are coming to water, but I would think that the Brangus would stay in the pasture and graze longer if thats all I had.

I had one of my Chars scare the crap out of me yesterday, she was laying spread out like she was dead. I walked over to her and rubbed her head and she just layed there, then I slapped her on the rump and she slowly stood up. She has always been one the calmest cows I own and I can rub her most anytime I want and she will tolerate it fairly well.
I guess I would move slower too if I was out in this weather all day too.

How is everyone else fairing in this weather.

Cows are fine 106 here yesterday they were all laying in the shade on the creek bank. I am the idiot that has been in the hayfield all week in the bald ass open.

 

[tom4018]

We have had above 100 deg temps here in SE Alabama for about 6 days straight now and I have all my cows coming to the house for water now (best shade in the corral)

I notice that all the cows will come to get water around 9-10 am and stay until after 4PM each day and the Chars,Angus and Sims are the first to water but the Brangus will follow them but will be the last to water.
I think the Brangus only follow the lead cow (Chars) because they are coming to water, but I would think that the Brangus would stay in the pasture and graze longer if thats all I had.

I had one of my Chars scare the crap out of me yesterday, she was laying spread out like she was dead. I walked over to her and rubbed her head and she just layed there, then I slapped her on the rump and she slowly stood up. She has always been one the calmest cows I own and I can rub her most anytime I want and she will tolerate it fairly well.
I guess I would move slower too if I was out in this weather all day too.

How is everyone else fairing in this weather.

Cows are fine 106 here yesterday they were all laying in the shade on the creek bank. I am the idiot that has been in the hayfield all week in the bald ass open.

You were not by yourself. Worried a few times if it was worth beibng out there.

 

[dcara]

Cows seem to be doing ok. They graze until about 10am. Then stand in the ponds for about 30 minutes, then lay under the trees with intermitent grazing until the evening when they all go back to full grazing.

I moved about 1000ft of 3 strand electric fence yesterday to another pasture in 102 degree heat. Heat index was 107. This old body could only work for about 25 minutes before I had to head for a 5 minute shade and water break. Plus I had to work so slow that it took me from 10am to 3pm to finish it. Can't be to careful in this heat though.

 

[Brute 23]

We have had above 100 deg temps here in SE Alabama for about 6 days straight now and I have all my cows coming to the house for water now (best shade in the corral)

I notice that all the cows will come to get water around 9-10 am and stay until after 4PM each day and the Chars,Angus and Sims are the first to water but the Brangus will follow them but will be the last to water.
I think the Brangus only follow the lead cow (Chars) because they are coming to water, but I would think that the Brangus would stay in the pasture and graze longer if thats all I had.

I had one of my Chars scare the crap out of me yesterday, she was laying spread out like she was dead. I walked over to her and rubbed her head and she just layed there, then I slapped her on the rump and she slowly stood up. She has always been one the calmest cows I own and I can rub her most anytime I want and she will tolerate it fairly well.
I guess I would move slower too if I was out in this weather all day too.

How is everyone else fairing in this weather.

Cows are fine 106 here yesterday they were all laying in the shade on the creek bank. I am the idiot that has been in the hayfield all week in the bald ass open.

Same here.

 

[C HOLLAND]

CB, you are not alone, but I did wear a ball cap for the bald head.


I was out spraying 2-4-D yesterday morning from 10:00 until 12:00 and then mowing a field (deer plot/hay field for spring) in the afternoon to get it ready for clover and rye grass this fall.

I just came in from riding my motorcycle to breakfast this morning and the air doesn't even cool you off at 65 MPH.

 

[backhoeboogie]

CB, I was at the hay for three days.

I'm not going to complain about the heat. We have had over 80 days of 100 plus before. Not this year. We didn't break 100 until August.