K-State expert discusses the importance of monitoring livestock for signs of heat stress

Jul 10, 2023

It’s county fair season in Kansas, and while local events are a great way to enjoy the sun and time with friends, heat can be an invisible fun bandit for livestock.

Kansas State University beef extension veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff said it’s important for youth showing livestock to watch animals closely and know the symptoms of heat stress.

All animals – as well as people -- can experience heat stress, which occurs when the body cannot get rid of excessive heat, either through sweating or other means.

Tarpoff said cattle handle heat differently than other animals. In particular, they struggle with the ability to sweat, which makes them reliant on getting rid of heat through their respiratory system, such as breathing the heat out. To preserve energy, they usually dissipate the heat during the night when it's cooler.

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Video: 2026 T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science - Dan Weary

T.K. Cheung Lecture in Animal Science: "Using science to assess and improve the welfare of dairy cattle"

Dan Weary is a Professor at the University of British Columbia. Dan did his BSc and MSc at McGill and Doctorate at Oxford before co-founding UBC’s Animal Welfare Program where he now co-directs this active research group. His research focuses on understanding the perspectives of animals and applying these insights to develop methods of assessing animal welfare and improving the lives of animals. His work has helped drive changes in practices (including the adoption of higher milk rations for calves and pain management for disbudding) and housing methods (including the adoption of social housing for pre-weaned calves). He also studies cow comfort and lameness, social interactions among cows, and interactions between cows, human handlers and technologies like automated millking systems that are increasingly used on farms. His presentation will outline key questions in cattle welfare, highlight recent UBC research addressing them, and showcase innovative methods for improving the lives of cattle and their caretakers.