Robert Collier, Ph.D, professor at the University of Arizona Agricultural Research Center is speaking at a pre-conference symposium sponsored by Prince Agri Products, Inc., at the 25th Annual Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symposium and reminds dairy producers of the importance of managing dairy cattle to minimize negative impacts of heat stress.

“Heat stress is a health and economic issue in every dairy-producing area of the world,” said Dr. Collier. “Production, reproduction and animal health are all impaired by hyperthermia. During heat stress, respiration rates and body temperature increase, while feed intake, milk yield and reproduction decrease.”

Dr. Collier said heat-stressed dairy cows may experience increased levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which can weaken their natural immune system and make them more susceptible to disease and infection. He noted that decreased milk production is linked in part with reduced feed intake, as well as metabolic changes, during extremely hot, humid weather.

Animals that received the nutritional specialty product, OmniGen-AF®, from Prince Agri Products had significantly greater dry matter intake, reduced respiration rates and lower rectal temperatures during heat stress, compared to control cows. They also had lower somatic cell counts after heat stress during the recovery period. This data supports the practice of OmniGen-AF supplementation as a critical component of modern dairy management to help maintain herd health; and that its everyday use may reinforce a dairy herd’s immune system so that unforeseen stress challenges will have a minimal impact on the cow’s susceptibility to disease.