15 Tips to Prepare Your Lots for Summer
Posted: April 23, 2020 | Written By: Don Cleaver, Form-A-Feed Nutrition and Production Specialist
Spring planting is almost here. Before you take to the tractor seat, get your lot and buildings prepared for the heat and rain of summer. Here are 15 tips to help you be prepared!
- Put up shade cloth.
- Clean and adjust feeders to the summer opening of ¾”. Patch any holes that can allow rain to enter the self-feeder.
- Fill in last year’s mud holes.
- To lessen the chance of foot issues this summer, look for sharp objects that may have found their way into the pens over winter.
- Improve air flow. Test fans and clean both the fan blades and cages. Cut trees and brush that are blocking air flow into or out of the buildings.
- Set up a sprinkling system before you need it. Don’t soak the cattle. Sprinkle the ground with water before the hottest part of the day. It will provide evaporative cooling for the cattle.
- Control biting flies. We recommend NutriSource® Pro Tub w/Altosid® or NutriSource Mineral Tub w/Altosid
- Stay up to date with all vaccines AND boosters.
- Add an additional water source. This acts to spread out the groups and reduces the core temperature of the cattle.
- Check that waterers can keep up with the cattle water needs during peak heat events. See chart below.
- Do not overstock pens.
- Maintain consistent bedding schedule.
- Clean or scrape pens regularly.
- Keep current on your cattle marketing. Sell the heaviest and respiratory-challenged cattle so they are in your checkbook before the summer heat stresses them and you run the risk of losing them.
- Add Hydro-Lac® to your feeding program to get ahead of the upcoming heat events!
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