Montana ranchers watch cattle closely as heat stress risk rises

“Three or four days in a row, those warm nights and days, it can be a lot worse because cattle never get a chance to cool down,” said Pattison.

Pattison explained that water became the top priority during extreme heat. He said cattle might usually drink between 10 and 20 gallons a day, but that amount could double when temperatures stayed high.

Ranchers also watched for warning signs including heavy panting, open-mouth breathing, drooling, reduced grazing and cattle gathering around water.

To lower stress on the herd, producers checked troughs more often, used whatever shade was available and moved cattle before sunrise instead of during the hottest part of the day.

Pattison also said prolonged heat could slow weight gain, reduce milk production and affect reproduction. He said some of those economic effects might not show up until weeks later.

He said ranchers tried to step in before those signs turned severe because cattle could already be in trouble by the time they showed clear distress.

“For during extreme heat, the best cattlemen really aren’t thinking about convenience,” Pattison said. “They’re thinking about water, shade, timing, doing right by the livestock that depend on them.”