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As February temperatures soar, local vets and the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) are urging farmers and pet owners to ensure their animals are well protected.
Wellsford vet Neil Warnock says all classes of stock are vulnerable to extremes of heat, so ensuring plenty of water and shade is essential.
He adds that water is vital for animal growth.
“For every litre of milk a dairy cow produces it requires five litres of water. Failing to provide water will massively impact on an animal’s production,” he says.
“In addition, if an animal is overheating, they are unlikely to eat. Again, reducing production and lowering the effectiveness of their immune system.”
Mr Warnock says sheep don’t necessarily need to be shorn to remain cool as they adapt well to most conditions. There are stories of sheep avoiding being shorn for several years in Central Otago without experiencing any problems.
However, the more wool they have, the more sheep are prone to flystrike, especially in the warm and wet months of summer and autumn, so it still pays to shear.
Mr Warnock says as a rule animals are resilient to the harmful effects of ultra violet (UV) light, though there are some exceptions.
Some white-faced breeds of cattle are prone to developing cancer on their eyelids after repeat exposure to UV.
Cattle and sheep that have liver disease or have eaten certain kinds of plants are also vulnerable.
Chemicals that aid metabolism can become toxic and build up in their skin. When the sun shines on unpigmented parts of their skin, it can cause nasty sunburn – a process known as photosensitisation.
He says there are several products which can be applied to stock to act as a sunscreen. The main active ingredient of the products is zinc oxide.
Sunscreens are most commonly applied to domestic animals, often the pink areas of cats, dogs and horses. However, they can also be applied to the udder and white skin of cows suffering from photosensitisation.
Meanwhile MPI says in addition to water and shade, good ventilation is also important.
MPI’s national animal welfare coordinator Dr Wayne Ricketts says it’s common sense stuff but every year when there is a heat wave, MPI gets reports of animals being neglected.
He says special attention needs to be paid to more vulnerable stock or pets such as those who have recently given birth and their offspring, and animals with pre-existing medical conditions.
Other vulnerable animals include those with short noses – since they can’t regulate temperature well – and young, pregnant and lactating animals. Those with long hair are also more susceptible to heat stress.
