Compared to adult cows, calves can deal with elevated temperatures more easily, but once the temperature rises to 28° C or higher they will start to struggle. Particularly if the temperature rises quickly and occurs in combination with a high relative humidity, calves can struggle with adaptation to the new circumstances.
Feed intake will go down and calves can get dehydrated because of excessive sweating and also because they sometimes develop diarrhoea. Therefore, ensure the calf always has access to water and if sweating occurs, shave the back of the calf.
Adult cows produce a lot of heat as a result of rumen fermentation. Consequently, they already start feeling uncomfortable if the temperature starts rising above 20° C. Calves can deal with elevated temperatures more easily, their comfort zone lies between 20 and 25° C. Once the environmental temperature rises to 28° C or higher, calves will start to struggle. The main threat associated with exposure to elevated temperatures is dehydration.
Heat stress can have a strong negative impact on dairy calf growth and performance, but there is a lot that can be done to minimise the impact of heat stress in calves Download our technical bulletin Heat stress in calves to find out what you can do to avoid problems.
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