Introduction

Beef cattle producers are all too familiar with the brutal heat and humidity of summer in the southeast. Humidity severely compounds effects seen during high temperatures, further increasing the stress level on livestock, even on more temperate days.

As depicted in the Livestock Weather Hazard Guide shown here, cattle may begin suffering from heat stress while temperatures remain in the 70s. A general rule of thumb is that extreme stress starts at around 84 F and 84% humidity.

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