How to tackle respiratory issues in sheds during changeable weather
Create a natural movement of air, where the air comes in at an appropriate point and height in the shed and then has a route out of the shed at a higher point.
The last few weeks have been extremely mild temperature-wise, while we have been getting all the rain. We have had some cold nights but days have been mild.
The variation in temperatures has proved challenging with many reports of respiratory issues in all ages of cattle. It is so hard to get ventilation right in sheds.
It is so dependent on the direction of the wind on any given day along with shelter from surrounding buildings etc. Too much shelter and you end up with stale air causing issues and too little shelter and you have a draught causing issues.
Creating good airflow is key to good ventilation in livestock sheds. Creating a natural movement of air, where the air comes in at an appropriate point and height in the shed and then has a route out of the shed at a higher point.
Vented sheeting can often be detrimental to good ventilation, especially in calf sheds. It causes a trickle of air into the shed and can create cold draughts for the cattle. I have seen many really good calf/creep areas where the side sheeting has been offset outside the wall by 6/7 inches and running down 16-18 inches below the top of the wall. This results in air hitting the wall and taking an upward trajectory.
Once there is a canopy on the shed then this upward-moving air will continue to rise and escape through the canopy. This creates a chimney effect pulling any stale air off the animals.
In existing sheds where airflow is poor, you may need to take temporary measures to improve ventilation. Doors may need to be opened. Where draughts are coming in then the addition of a gale breaker may be helpful.
Clipping cattle is an excellent way of helping them to regulate their body temperature while indoors. In the weather conditions we have been having lately, cattle have been sweating in sheds. Animals that sweat are more stressed and are always much dirtier.
For beef cattle with a lot of hair it really is well worth clipping three strips along their backs, right up to the head and also clipping the tails clean. In young dairy stock, it may not be necessary to clip as much of a strip on their backs, but the process is still recommended to help them regulate their body temperature more easily.
The results will be plain to see within days as you will see less sweat and cattle will start to clean off all over. Releasing heat and making cattle much more comfortable in the shed will undoubtedly help animals perform better and avoid respiratory issues due to overheating.
Clipping cattle before using a pour-on to treat for parasites also helps the product to penetrate the skin faster and more effectively. Get the clippers oiled up and in action to improve animal health, performance and comfort. If you don’t have clippers, there are many great value options out there, with many now opting for battery ones with excellent clipping time between charging.
Suckler cows should at a minimum have their tails clipped clean. If they are autumn calvers, they will be cleaner for AI and for spring ones they will be cleaner if they need assistance at calving.
Many now see straw as an expensive product, but it is still hard to find anything better to keep young calves warm and cosy. You can have all the ventilation and airflow discussed above, but it is also essential to have a clean and dry bed for calves to nest down in.
Regular fresh straw in the bed will keep them dry and clean and again aid the prevention of illness. I have tried wood chip under the straw this year in the creep area for autumn-born suckler calves and after almost six weeks I have only had to top up straw twice so far and the bed is spotless and dry.
One thing that also helps is offering straw and/or dry silage when feeding forage to the calves.
If cattle are warm in sheds then they will require a good source of water to help cool down. An added issue this year is the amount of very dry silages being fed, particularly 2nd and 3rd cuts. When consuming these, cattle will also require extra water.
Meal feeding will also result in more water being drunk. Access to a big enough water trough with a sufficient supply of clean water is very important to animal performance. Aim to inspect troughs daily and clean them regularly in order to maintain feed intake and performance.
