working through this heat

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frostback

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Feb 7, 2007
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2,068
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Colorado
How do you guys in the hotter states work in this . It was over 100 today, we were picking hay, me and daughter doing round bales and hubby doing small squares. My truck quit around 4, it didnt over heat but just would not run, it started up again in about 30 mins. Got alot done but still have about 2 days worth of stacking and not looking forward to it. Supposed to stay hot for about 10 more days. YUCK
 

DLD

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Apr 15, 2007
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Location
sw Oklahoma
You really have to be careful in the extreme heat - it can be dangerous if you overdo it - there's a reason they came up with the siesta.Try to do all of your hard outside work early in the morning and late in the evening. From noon 'til 6 pm, we try to stay in the barn with the fans or in the house with the air conditioner, or take advantage of that time to run errands, shop, etc...  It may take a little while to get used to, but you might learn to enjoy it. If you absolutely have to work out in it, drink lots of water and some Gatorade too, and take lots of breaks. I very highly recommend a straw hat - if you don't wear one, you'd be surprised at the difference they make. Working in a truck or tractor with a/c is alright for us, but it's harder on equipment and burns more fuel than running in the cooler times of the day.

I can't stress too much to be careful - the heat really can be dangerous.
 

farmboy

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Apr 21, 2007
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5,652
Location
south webster ohio
i helped my dad log last year about this time of year...always 90 + degrees, we drunk a 12 case of 20 oz. waters a day in an ice filled cooler and when the bottles emptied, we filled em up with the melted ice water and dipped some rags in there and wore them around our neck  :)
 

justintime

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May 26, 2007
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4,346
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
We have been extremely hot here for the past two weeks. Mid 90s to 100 degrees and with very high humidity . We normally do not get humidity like this and it is sure hard on the cattle. I have never seen flies bothering the cattle like we have right now. I ran one group through the chute and used Cylence on them, which usually has worked extremely well for us, and it did not seem to make any difference. They are so bad that both cows and calves are losing weight, and I certainly would welcome any ideas on how to help these poor critters. I have seen flies back for a week or two in the past but this year is the worst I have ever seen here. I was wondering if it was the the pastures close to the barns that were the worst, but we have one pasture that is at least 4 miles from any other livestock and the flies are just as bad there.
We had 100 % humidity almost all day today and it was 96 degrees.I heard that it was similar to 120 degrees with the humidity figured in with the temp. I looked at the 14 day forecast, and wish I hadn't. It shows no change in the next two weeks with lots of the same weather and little moisture. We should be nice and crispy in a few short days if they are right.
 

red

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Joined
Jan 20, 2007
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7,850
Location
LaRue, Ohio
Frostback, we have been fortunate in Ohio so far. No real extreme heat where I'm at.
A bout a cool vest from http://www.steelevest.com/
It has been a life saver for me in really hot weather. Best of luck & keep hydrated!

Red
 

cowz

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Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
1,492
It's sad when I whine about the heat, but the last few days of hay making and puttering around outside have been getting to us!!

One of the kid's show heifers got a ride to town for health papers. It was only 90 that afternoon.  She literally ran out of the trailer and stood by the door of the cool room to be haltered and let back in!  We got a kick out of what a spoiled brat she has become!
 

DL

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Jan 29, 2007
Messages
3,622
justintime said:
We have been extremely hot here for the past two weeks. Mid 90s to 100 degrees and with very high humidity . We normally do not get humidity like this and it is sure hard on the cattle. I have never seen flies bothering the cattle like we have right now. I ran one group through the chute and used Cylence on them, which usually has worked extremely well for us, and it did not seem to make any difference. They are so bad that both cows and calves are losing weight, and I certainly would welcome any ideas on how to help these poor critters. I have seen flies back for a week or two in the past but this year is the worst I have ever seen here. I was wondering if it was the the pastures close to the barns that were the worst, but we have one pasture that is at least 4 miles from any other livestock and the flies are just as bad there.
We had 100 % humidity almost all day today and it was 96 degrees.I heard that it was similar to 120 degrees with the humidity figured in with the temp. I looked at the 14 day forecast, and wish I hadn't. It shows no change in the next two weeks with lots of the same weather and little moisture. We should be nice and crispy in a few short days if they are right.

JIT - it may be too late for you this year but I started using the crystalyx rabon barrels this year for the first time (I use fly predators and and a bunch of sticky things in the barn and willl pour the cows with elector or cylence) but the rabon made a huge difference - and it has been hot and miserable here too ----hoping for rain, the pastures are toast,
 

afhm

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May 1, 2007
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parts unknown
Drink plenty of fluids, start early, quit early stay inside during the extreme heat and go back out when its cooling off and stay out late.  Ironically enough cover up, long sleeves, long pants and a under shirt will be cooler than a tank and shorts.
 

ShortyJ13

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Apr 28, 2007
Messages
93
Location
Arkansas
justintime said:
We have been extremely hot here for the past two weeks. Mid 90s to 100 degrees and with very high humidity . We normally do not get humidity like this and it is sure hard on the cattle. I have never seen flies bothering the cattle like we have right now. I ran one group through the chute and used Cylence on them, which usually has worked extremely well for us, and it did not seem to make any difference. They are so bad that both cows and calves are losing weight, and I certainly would welcome any ideas on how to help these poor critters. I have seen flies back for a week or two in the past but this year is the worst I have ever seen here. I was wondering if it was the the pastures close to the barns that were the worst, but we have one pasture that is at least 4 miles from any other livestock and the flies are just as bad there.
We had 100 % humidity almost all day today and it was 96 degrees.I heard that it was similar to 120 degrees with the humidity figured in with the temp. I looked at the 14 day forecast, and wish I hadn't. It shows no change in the next two weeks with lots of the same weather and little moisture. We should be nice and crispy in a few short days if they are right.

its the same way for us, the temp. is gettin way up there and the humidity seems like its always bad. we just rinse the calves a few times a day, keep fans & misters on them and do the best we can to keep them cool. i guess thats all you really can do! lol. but you were talking about how bad flies were & you mentioned Cylence... ive never heard of that, what is it?? ???
 

afhm

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Cylence is made by Bayer and is a pour on insecticide for flies and also works on lice.  It works really well.
 

shortdawg

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Jan 30, 2007
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6,520
Location
Georgia
I'm out in the heat pretty much all day every day. The way deal with is just pace myself; I don't try to over do it. If I get in my truck I don't run the AC on high and then get out, that only makes things worse. I leave it set the same all the time so I don't get too cool too quick or too hot too quick when I get out or in. I drink plenty of fluids all day long. The humidity here is tough being so close to the Gulf of Mexico.
 

justintime

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May 26, 2007
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4,346
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
It was 110 F (44 C) here today with very high humidity. We are just about as far from water as one can get in North America. This is really unusual for us . We can from time to time, get these temps. but I have never seen this many days in a row with such crazy humidity. I ran one group of 55 cows and calves into a corral today, and just walked through them with a garden sprayer with insecticide mixed in it, and just sprayed each animal as I walked through them. It was as if they knew I was helping them as they all just stood there and let me walk around them and spray them all over including their legs and underlines. Even the youngest calves allowed me to do this. It seems to have helped as tonight is the first night I have seen them spread out over the pasture, some grazing some laying and resting. For the last 4 or 5 days, they seemed to be packed in a ball all day and night. I am doing a couple more groups tomorrow and hopefully we can get these poor creatures through until more moderate weather returns.
 

genes

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Jan 29, 2007
Messages
392
44 Eeeeeeek.  I'm glad I'm not back there.  Here I was dreading Ontario's humid summer and it has actually been unseasonably cool with the exception of a week or too.  Hooray.

I'm a wimp in heat, and so i solved it by becoming a lazy student with an air conditioned office (dingy as all get out, but coool).  Before that, I always tried to stay in in midday, wore sunscreen and long sleeved shirts, found shade if I could.
 

renegade

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Jun 30, 2007
Messages
725
Location
Caldwell, Idaho
For the last couple of weeks around here it hasn't been under a hundred, usually 102-105 and thats not normal around here. Plus there are so many fires around here we have had orange and yellow air quality warnings it packs in the heat and makes it hazy and humid and it kills you to breath.  The flies and musquitos are horrible. I FEEL YOUR PAIN! :'(
 
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