This summer continues to be dry and hot, to the extreme, in Kentucky and other parts of the country. As highs soar to the upper 90s and lower 100s toward the end of June and into the first part of July, the Livestock Heat Stress Index will reach the emergency category. Horse owners and livestock producers should take notice and precautions.
“The combination of hot, muggy weather conditions prompts some real concern for humans, as well as livestock and pets,” said Tom Priddy, meteorologist in the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture. “The livestock heat index is a combination of air temperature and humidity. That one-two punch makes it hazardous for people and animals. Dew point temperatures above 65 degrees lead officials to declare conditions dangerous for livestock.”
The Livestock Heat Stress Index helps producers know when heat stress could create a problem for their animals, Priddy added.
Continue reading Livestock Heat-Stress Emergency Issued as High Temps Persist