AUDIO: Jeff Tikofsky, Zinpro Corporation
A dairy nutritionist with Zinpro Corporation says extreme summer heat could create long-term impacts for herd health.
Jeff Tikofsky says health challenges can continue after temperatures return to normal.
“Cows in their last trimester of pregnancy during heat stress can affect three generations of cattle,” he says. “Reproductive efficiency and hoof health consequences are generally not fully realized until the heat has already passed.”
He tells Brownfield prolonged heat exposure also impacts ruminant nutrition.
“Today’s dairy diets contain a lot of fat,” he says. “That fat oxidizes as the bunk heats. This causes rumen health issues and reduces nutrient content. That oxidative stress is happening to that TMR all day long.”
Tikofsky says crowding around water sources and reduced feed intake are the most common signs of heat stress in dairy cattle.
