Cows are less milky, chickens are less fertile; heat and animal husbandry

High daily temperatures not only have a negative effect on agricultural crops, but also pose a serious problem for animal husbandry. Because of this, livestock farmers are constantly engaged in efforts to cool cows, pigs and other animals, spending large amounts of electricity and water for water sprinklers and cleaning pens. Water is key because only water droplets can help livestock survive extreme temperatures and avoid death. Cattle breeders emphasize that there is no difference where the cattle are kept, either in the most modern pens or in less conditional ones, because the conditions are equally difficult for the animals.

Dragan Nikolić, a livestock farmer from Čenta, said that cows give a third less milk during hot weather. Due to high temperatures that do not drop even at night, cows eat less and therefore produce less milk. Nikolić points out that the most important thing is to ensure the constant availability of water and continuous ventilation in the pens. High daily temperatures bring high costs for water and electricity, and the reduced yield of milk further reduces the income of livestock farmers.

Josip Mačković, a livestock farmer from Ljutovo near Subotica, emphasizes the need for subsidies for equipping buildings, because African heat waves are becoming more frequent. He states that every building must have an insulated roof, be shaded and equipped with ventilation. Serious professional help is needed in order to build facilities that will make it easier for livestock to survive during extreme heat. Most livestock farmers do not have adequate barns for the current climate, resulting in heavy losses due to heat. Cows give 25 to 30 percent less milk, and some herders record even greater losses depending on the conditions in which they keep their cattle.

Chickens like cows – they suffer in the sun

It’s not easy for poultry in these conditions either. On farms of laying hens, the egg yield is reduced by five to ten percent, while on farms of chickens, deaths occur. Danilo Vranić from the “Vranić” farm in Kać says that they fight as best they know how, but the ventilation is sometimes not enough, so there are losses. The biggest losses are in farms that have chickens at the end of fattening, because adult chickens can hardly tolerate high temperatures.

Marko Josimović, a livestock farmer from Grgurevci, keeps heifers and pigs and states that he has to constantly maintain the building, changing the straw and washing the buildings more often than usual. He emphasizes that the fans used to cool the space are no longer sufficient. He bought a sprayer – a water mist, which can be seen in outdoor cafes, because it cools the animals better than when they are under fans. Josimović adds that the heat lasts a long time and that the buildings have warmed up because it is equally warm during the night.

Livestock farmers appeal for urgent measures and support in order to adapt to the new climate conditions. It is necessary to modernize the facilities and introduce a system that will enable easier survival of livestock during extreme temperatures. Without adequate conditions and support, animal husbandry faces serious challenges and large economic losses.

Source: Diary