Causes, symptoms, and prevention and treatment methods of heatstroke in beef cattle
Nowadays, summer temperatures are getting higher and higher, and high temperatures are a great test for beef cattle. High temperatures can easily cause symptoms of heatstroke, and in severe cases can lead to dehydration and death of beef cattle, posing a great harm to beef cattle farming. So what are the causes and symptoms of heatstroke in beef cattle? And how should it be prevented and treated? Let's take a look with Qinnong Net.
1. Analysis of causes
In summer, when temperatures are high, if beef cattle are in a stuffy environment with poor ventilation, coupled with hot weather and little rain, and there is also no shading or sun-blocking equipment, the body temperature of the beef cattle begins to rise sharply, and there is obvious congestion in the blood vessels of the head and body surface, thereby causing nervous system dysfunction. In addition, when there is a lack of drinking water, combined with a large amount of heat dissipation causing sweating, after the body loses a large amount of tissue fluid and cannot replenish it, blood flow becomes poor, resulting in congestion and hypoxia.
2. Onset symptoms
At the beginning of the illness, the sick cattle begin to show excitement and restlessness, continuously stick out their tongues, breathe forcefully through the mouth, the conjunctiva of the eyes becomes congested and red, the pupils dilate, and the body temperature rises significantly, reaching as high as 43 degrees. The head is hot, the heartbeat speeds up but is weak, the limbs are weak, walking is unsteady, and sometimes they fall to the ground and cannot get up. They are listless and may show dizziness and coma, foam at the mouth, convulsions all over the body, and difficulty breathing. Some sick cattle show extreme excitement and may also become manic, with weakened reflexes in body parts and symptoms of spasms. In severe cases, they may die within a few hours.
3. Treatment methods
After heatstroke, medication treatment should be given promptly. First of all, the body temperature must be lowered. First move the sick cattle to a cool area. If they have already fallen and cannot get up, then a shade must be set up to let them rest quietly. Then continuously spray the cattle's body with cool water, especially the head, and give the cattle a large amount of cool water or salt water to drink, which helps lower and regulate body temperature. After neurological symptoms appear, intravenous injection can be carried out, injecting the sick cattle with 00~1000mL of 25% mannitol or sorbitol, and the dosage for calves and growing cattle should be appropriately reduced. When the sick cattle are excited, 500~1000mL of 5% sodium bicarbonate solution can be injected intravenously; when breathing is difficult, 500~1000mL of glucose sodium chloride solution can be injected intravenously.
4. Prevention methods
During construction, the cattle shed must be spacious and tall, preferably facing south, with enough windows installed for ventilation. An insulation layer must be built on the top of the cattle shed. The insulation layer can be foam, which can keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. During high temperatures, open the windows to allow air convection, take away heat, and reduce stocking density. In addition, a sunshade net can be set up on the roof, or a cool shed can be built around the cattle shed to avoid direct sunlight. When the midday sun is strongest, water can be sprinkled on the eaves and the ground to lower the temperature of the cattle shed, but attention must be paid to ventilation to avoid a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, which is even more unfavorable to the growth of beef cattle. An appropriate amount of salt can be added to drinking water to help beef cattle with metabolism, regulate body temperature, and facilitate heat dissipation.
The above is the causes, symptoms, and prevention and treatment methods of heatstroke in beef cattle brought to you by Qinnong Net. We hope it can help you. To learn more, please stay tuned to Qinnong Net.