Heat stress: keep animals cool and productive

Temperatures in Northern Nigeria often pass 40 °C between March and May. Exotic and crossbred dairy cows, broilers and layers suffer most, but all animals lose production when they are too hot.

Signs of heat stress

• Fast panting, open-mouth breathing and drooling
• Standing instead of lying down, and crowding in shade or around water
• Eating less and producing less milk or fewer eggs
• Weak heats and more failed inseminations
• In poultry: panting, wings held away from the body and sudden deaths, especially in heavy broilers

Shade and air

• Give every animal shade: trees, high roofs or shade nets.
• Build roofs at least 3 metres high, and paint metal roofs white or insulate them.
• Keep the sides of houses open so air can move. Fans help in dairy and poultry houses.
• Reduce the number of birds per house in the hot season.

Water and feed

• Give plenty of cool, clean water close to the shade, with enough troughs or drinkers for all animals.
• Feed in the early morning and evening, not in the heat of the day.
• Add electrolytes and vitamins to poultry water on very hot days.
• Keep feed fresh; mouldy feed adds to stress.

Handling and breeding

• Move, load, vaccinate and treat animals in the cool hours only.
• Inseminate in the morning or evening.
• Choose heat-tolerant breeds and crosses, such as White Fulani or Sokoto Gudali crosses, for hot areas.

Emergency first aid

If an animal collapses or breathes very fast with its mouth open, move it into shade, wet it with cool (not ice-cold) water, let air move over it and call a vet.

This guide is general information. It is not a substitute for advice from a vet who has examined your animals.