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Healthy and productive beef cattle benefit
using Beef Hydro-Lac®.
In a manufacturing facility, a hot stressful day can be relieved by
turning on fans and cranking up air conditioning. But when your
“production facility” is a 1300-pound beef animal, relieving heat stress
is not as simple as adjusting the thermostat. You have to watch for
early signs of heat stress and take immediate action. While shading from
direct sunlight can help, cooling the internal system of beef cattle has
been shown to minimize the effect of heat stress.
 Summer
heat stress
Simply defined, heat stress occurs when heat load is greater than beef
cattle capacity to lose heat. Heat load is more than the animals’
internal body temperature – factors such as ambient temperature, air
movement, relative humidity, solar radiation, and other environmental
factors impact the ability to stay cool. Compare your own body
temperature while working outside on a hot day. It’s difficult to
cool-down when ambient temperature is 100°F and relative humidity is
60%. As ambient temperatures approach cattle body temperatures (above
90°F) their cooling mechanism is impaired.
Below are some heat stress signs:
|
Visual heat stress |
Non-visual heat stress |
|
Daily feed intake decreases |
Decreased levels of blood bicarbonate |
|
Decreased saliva production |
Death loss increases |
|
Increased drooling |
Sub-clinical rumen acidosis increases |
|
Water intake increases |
Blood flow to internal organs decreases |
|
Respiration rates increase |
Blood flow to skin increases |
|
Acute health problems |
|
Combating
heat stress
When the air temperature soars and beef cattle start showing signs of
heat stress, many feed yard managers will resort to feeding less. Beef
cattle dry matter intakes can be reduced up to 35 to 50% due to heat
stress. This negatively impacts feed efficiency, days on feed, daily
gain, and profit.
The most effective strategy is to prepare beef cattle so their cooling
systems can endure higher temperature and humidity, allowing them to
adjust to heat stress. The key is to provide electrolytes and energy
that encourage water and feed intake, so cattle maintain their fluid
balance and minimize feed intake loss and dehydration. And that’s
exactly what Beef Hydro-Lac does for beef cattle.
Proven
results
For 35 years Form-A-Feed has developed and manufactured products that
provide beef cattle nutrition they need to help them thrive during times
of stress. Each product is research tested, formulated by nutritionists
and veterinarians, field tested, formulated to address health benefits,
and provides an economic return to the livestock producer.
Beef Hydro-Lac provides a proprietary ingredient blend, developed
specifically for beef cattle:
• Beneficial electrolytes
• Sugars
• Rumen-stable Vitamin C
• Betaine
• Thiamine
• Vitamin E
Beef Hydro-Lac comes in a pelleted form to help improve palatability,
reduce caking, and minimize excessive fines within bunk rations
associated with sugar/electrolyte products.
Field
Trial Results
In June and July 2007, a field trial was conducted at a large scale
cattle feed yard in the High Plains. Beef Hydro-Lac was given to market
weight heifers, using 6 replications, before shipping and the results
were quite dramatic:
• Additional carcass weight of 14 lbs.
• A preservation of 11.3% in choice grade.
• Feed yard manager reported that they “felt strongly enough about the
product to start using it on a regular basis.
Using
Beef Hydro-Lac all year round
As warm weather season approaches, dealing with and avoiding heat stress
is a prominent concern. Beef Hydro-Lac has been shown to help reduce
concerns related to other challenges throughout the year. Applications
include:
• Marketing feedlot cattle
• Heat stress
• Health challenges
• Incoming feedlot cattle
• Cow-calf, post-calving
• Transporting
• Show ring cattle
Feeding
rates: Beef Hydro-Lac
Marketing cattle: Feed 1 lb. daily 48 hours prior to marketing.
Heat stress: Feed at the rate of ¼ to ½ lb. per head daily. Begin 1-2
days before hot weather is expected and continue until cooler weather
returns.
Shipping: Feed ½ lb. per head daily. Begin 2 days before shipping and
continue for 5 days after arrival.
Show ring cattle: Feed ¼ to ½ lb. per head daily. Begin 1 week before
transporting and continue until 2 days after returning.
Frequently
Asked Questions
What is Beef Hydro-Lac and what does it do?
Hydro-Lac is a T.E.N. (Timed Event Nutrition) product specially
formulated to provide essential nutrients, electrolytes, and sugars
necessary to maintain body fluid balance during times of marketing
feedlot cattle, heat stress, post-calving, incoming feedlot cattle, show
ring cattle, transportation, and health challenges. Beef Hydro-Lac is
designed to address a time period where nutrition needs support because
of management, environment, water, or facility shortcomings. These
shortcomings can make a dramatic impact on operation profitability. Feed
it only when you need it, take it out when you don’t.
My nutritionist says “I already have it in your ration...” How can
this be true?
There is no substitute for Beef Hydro-Lac, it is patent pending
technology. Many nutritionists have made that statement, only to learn
that adding Beef Hydro-Lac to a diet gave a positive response in cattle
performance.
Is there any research behind Beef Hydro-Lac*?
Absolutely! Beef research work shows increases in both live and carcass
weight with a 6% to 8% preservation of choice grade when used prior to
harvest. Additional research indicates that Beef
Hydro-Lac may help improve meat quality, and be useful for assisting in
heat stress.
*Please ask us for our trial results and testimonials; we’d be glad
to show you.
Is Beef Hydro-Lac palatable?
Beef Hydro-Lac comes in a pellet form providing consistent daily
nutrition. A proprietary ingredient blend makes Beef Hydro-Lac very
palatable. Beef Hydro-Lac allows for minimal dietary separation or
environmental impacts when feeding.
How do I evaluate heat stress?
As
warm weather increases, it’s essential to watch for signs of heat
stress. To make this easier, we’ve created a Heat Index Chart to help
you evaluate the potential for heat stress.
>>Continued
Heat Index Chart
Prepare for the heat – contact your Form-A-Feed dealer today or call
(800) 422-3649 for a full presentation. |
