RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEALING WITH HEAT STRESS DURING AN EMERGENCY
 

Provided by the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program July 3, 2008)
 
The best tools available to livestock producers dealing with heat stress are adequate and accessible drinking water, shade and water-cooling.
 
Dairy producers should be sure that they can milk, water and cool their cows, even in the event of rolling blackouts or power failure.
 
Many producers have back-up generators for their milking parlor, which should be inspected to ensure operational condition. Emergency power should also be available for fans and well pumps.
 
Misters, soakers and fans should be checked to ensure they are operational.
Shade structures (especially shade cloths) should be in good repair.
 
During a heat wave emergency, producers have used a variety of temporary cow-cooling methods:
 
a. Fire hoses can be connected to water trucks and used to soak the cattle.
b. Strings of cows can be cooled in sprinkler pens, if they are not in constant use for milking.
c. Temporary soaking lines can be devised using flexible landscaping hose and high volume emitters positioned over the cattle.
d. Industrial fans have been rented to augment these water-cooling methods.
e. Temporary shade structures have been erected.
 
In general, working cattle should be avoided except in the early morning.
 
If producers are experiencing difficulties or delays in having dead animals picked up by rendering companies, they should immediately contact their local office of emergency services or office of environmental health and make them aware of situation.
 
Local officials are in a position to assist with alternate methods of disposal, including evaluating the need for a declaration of a local emergency.

For more heat stress resources on the web, please click here