Livestock Stress

Massachusetts’s agricultural industry also includes dairy, cattle, chickens, and hogs. Many animals do not have sweat glands, so they are unable to cool themselves through the evaporation of sweat on their skin. Instead, animals will try and wade in water, or breathe heavily (also called panting) in order to release added heat in their bodies. When animals are under heat stress, they can stop eating, decrease in weight, stop milk or egg production and may not be able to reproduce.

Heat Stress is calculated using:

• wind
• temperature
• humidity
• solar radiation

You can download this mobile app from USDA to monitor local livestock heat stress.

Source: U.S. Heat Stress | USDA