water, heat stress, and drought

8/9/2019 Water, Heat Stress, and Drought

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Water Management, Drought, and Heat Stress

Slide 1

WATER, HEAT STRESS,AND DROUGHT

Barbara Bellows, NCAT Agriculture Specialist

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Slide 2

Livestock Water Use

Criteria Animal character istics

Animal species and breed

Animal size

Animal age and condition

Pasture conditions Forage type and condition

Distance to water

Environm ental conditions Average daily temperature

Water quality


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Slide 3

Livestock Daily Water Needs

1000 lb dairy cow - 30 gallons Dry beef cow - 22 gallons

Beef cow -calf pair - 20 gallons

600 lb beef heifer 12 gallons

2000 lb beef bull - 19 gallons

Sheep or goat - 2 gallons


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Slide 4

Goats, Sheep, and Water Sheep and goats can survive longer in drou ght

than cattle

Multi-species grazing w ith cattle allow s you tobetter balance pastur e r esour ces w ith herd size

Smaller size

Able to subsist on desert and

semi-arid plants

Many breeds are drought

tolerant


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Slide 5

Water Use by Young

Animals Youn g anim als need m ore water than adults

A greater percentage of young anim als body

w eight is w ater

Young anim als need todrink m ore o ften

They take in less water at a

time They have a more rapid

metabolism


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Slide 6

Forages and Water Needs Lush for ages decrease livestock w ater needs

They contain 75-80% moisture

Livestock can get some of their water from this lushforage

Dry forages increase livestock w ater needs

Hay and dry feed contains only 10-12% moisture

Animals need water to digest and move dry, fibrous

feed through their gut


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Slide 7

Ensure Animals Have Water

Conserve w ater in tanks

Fill tanks using animal-activated valves

Decrease evaporation by having tanks partially covered

Save or br ing in water

Collect water in advance of drought

Reduce herd size to r educe w ater n eed

Use trucks or solar pumps tobring in additional water

Lease additional land w ithaccess to w ater


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Slide 8

Distance to Water Sheep and cattle can forage up to 3 m iles from

w ater points Animals that need to drink m ore than once a

day cannot forage as far

Greater distance to waterincreases trail form ation

Pregnant and lactating females

Young animals

Animals eating dry feed orforages


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Slide 9

Water Trapping / Collection

W ater co llection structur es Contour ridges

Check dams

Percolation ponds

Holding tanks

Trap w ater in fields w ith sw aths of crop stubble

Swaths should be cut perpendicular to prevailing w inds

Swaths collects snow in w inter, adding meltwater tosoil as temperatures warm


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Slide 10

Livestock Need Clean Water Im proves animals m etabolism

Low ers r isk of parasites and diseases

Prom otes healthy grow th


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Slide 11

Drinking Water Contamination Salinization

Water evaporation in troughs and shallow tanks

Water evaporation from ponds in saline soil

Toxic blue-green algae grow

in nutrient-rich ponds

Parasites

Animals deposit manure instreams and on streambanks

High temperatures and stagnant

water favor microbial grow th


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Slide 12

Salt Increases Water Use Salt intake increases animal need and desire

for w ater

Sou rces of salt in diet

Plants w ith high salt content, such as saltbrush

Saline water

Salt and mineral licks


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Slide 13

Salt Tolerance Anim als with low salt water toleran ce

Young animals

Pregnant or lactating females

Aged or weakened stock

Symptom s of high saltintake

Depressed appetite

Depressed growth rate

Scours


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Slide 14

Toxic Blue-Green Algae Risk conditions

Stagnant ponds

Low water flow in streams

High nutrient levels in water

Hot, sunny days

Prevention

Fence off stagnant ponds Provide animals w ith access to clean water


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Slide 15

Drought and Riparian Areas W hy animal congregate in riparian ar eas

Drinking water

Seeking shade and breezes

Grazing on riparian vegetation

Trampling and compacting streambank soil

Depositing manure in and near streams

Riparian degradation by

livestock

Overgrazing riparian vegetationwhen upland vegetation is sparse


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Slide 16

Riparian Degradation

Bare soil

Increased soil erosion andnutrient loading

Increased evaporation and lowerwater table

Establishment of noxious plantspecies

Im pacts of tram pling and overgrazing

Degradation of fish and w ildlife habitat

Loss of food

Loss of shade and hiding areas


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Slide 17

Healthy Riparian Areas W ater table level

Height changes little throughoutthe year

Moist soil extends about two

channel w idths beyond either bank Dense vegetation cover age

Predominantly native plants

Diversity of young and maturegrasses, forbs, and w oody plants

Includes plants w ith deep, strongroot systems


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Slide 18

Manage ripar ian grazing

Graze only when soils are dry

Prevent overgrazing

Do not graze when riparianplants are reproducing

Keep Riparian Areas Healthy Keep livestock aw ay from stream s and ponds

Pump water from streams into drinking tanks

Fence riparian areas

Place feed supplements and insect control away

from water bodies


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Slide 19

Causes of Heat Stress

Environm ental conditions High temperature above 80F day, 70F night

High humidity

Limited air movement

Management factors

Limited access to water

Poor water quality

Lack of shade, especially for animals w ith light-colored hair

Handling or hauling animals in hot weather


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Slide 20

Heat Stress Concerns

Low feed consum ption Depressed appetite

Difficulty digesting dry feed

Poor w eight gain

Susceptibility to disease

Excessive salt intake

Death


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Slide 21

Keep Animals Cool Provide access to shade

Prevent congregation in w indbreaks thatprevent air m ovement

Provide animals inbarns or sheds w ithgood ventilation

Pro vide spr inklers tocool animals


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Slide 22

Heat Stress Management W ater an d feed management

Provide animals w ith plenty of clean, fresh, andpreferably cool drinking water

Provide animals access to salt

and minerals Provide additional water to allow

effective use of supplements

Avoid handling anim alsdur ing hot weather , such as

betw een 10 a.m . and sundow n


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Slide 23

Summary Ensur e that anim als have access to sufficient

clean w ater Breed and species determines water consumption

Age and health affects grazing distance from w ater

Protect w ater quality by

Protecting riparian areas

Preventing salinity buildup

Prevent heat stress by

Providing shade and water

Not w orking animals during hot weather


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Slide 24

Stream Protection Benefits Decreased bu ildup of nutrients, salt, and other

contaminants in water Decreased tram pling in stream s and ponds

Less manure concentration

near w ater Stream bank vegetation

protected

Increased w ater infiltrationand storage in r iparian zone


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Slide 25

Illustration Credits

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceEnsure Animals have Water

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceWater Use by Young Animals

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceGoats, Sheep and Water

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceLivestock Daily Water Needs

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceLivestock Water Use Criteria

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceCover

Photo cour tesy of:Slide Title


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Slide 26

Illustration Credits (Cont.)

John Burns (Cyanolab), Mark Schnegurt(Wichita State University) and Cyanosite

(www.

cyanosite.bio.purdue.edu)

Toxic Blue-green Algae

USDA Agriculture Research Service Image

Gallery

Salt Tolerance

Ken Ziegler, Foragebeef.caSalt Increases Water Use

Photo courtesy of USDA NRCSDrinking Water Contamination

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceLivestock Need Clean Water

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceWater Trapping/Collection

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceDistance to Water


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Slide 27

Illustation Credits (Cont.)

USDA Photography CenterKeep Animals Cool

USDA Photography CenterHeat Stress Concerns

Gly Jones, Executive Producer, TVNZInteractive, New Zealand

Causes of Heat Stress

Photo courtesy of USDA NRCSKeep Riparian Areas Healthy

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceHealthy Riparian Areas

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceRiparian Degredation

Photo courtesy of USDA NRCSDrought and Riparian Areas


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Slide 28

Illustration Credits (Cont.)

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceSummary

USDA Natural Resources Conservation ServiceHeat Stress Management

water, heat stress, and drought

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