Protect Cows, People, and Business from Heat Stress

Heat stress will likely affect every dairy cow in the United States at some point this summer, but heat and humidity affect more than cows. People can suffer as well, and it’s important to take steps to protect their safety. When cows and people don’t perform at their best, the losses can have a significant financial impact on dairy farms.

Reducing the impact of heat stress on cows, people, and your business takes a multifaceted strategy. For John Van de Pol, who owns Red Rock Dairy in Amherst, Texas, heat and humidity certainly take their toll during the West Texas summer.

Protect your profits

“The heat definitely lowers milk production, lowers our component levels, and has lasting effects on lower reproduction and transition,” says Van de Pol. “That all leads to lower margins and things that are out of our control.”

Cows feel heat sooner than people do. The combination of heat and humidity can cause them to become overheated, leading to reduced milk production, increased risk of illness, and ultimately lost revenue and increased costs for farmers. Milkshake^Ò is designed to provide coverage for extended heat stress situations. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, moderate to severe heat stress results in a production decrease of about 9 pounds per head per day. Severe heat stress is a life-threatening condition, and production decreases exceed 10 pounds per head per day. The financial risk is significant for farmers.

Evaporative cooling techniques can help keep cows cool, as can nutrition and diet adjustments that reduce the heat cows produce and replenish lost nutrients. Still, these practices cost money and affect the bottom line.

“No matter what kind of facility you have, as it gets hotter cows have to deal with heat stress, and we’re trying to mitigate that impact,” says Van de Pol. “It gets more and more costly to implement cooling systems and we’re trying to control those costs as well.”

Van de Pol has added another tool to help cover the financial impact of heat stress. He’s in his third summer using heat stress insurance — a product called Milkshake. Milkshake, now available through Agri-Services Agency, is a flexible and reliable option for dairy farmers that provides compensation for lost revenue or higher operating expenses during predetermined weather thresholds.

Farmers can customize coverage based on their farm’s needs, and payouts are fast. When heat and humidity conditions exceed thresholds, insured farmers are eligible for claim payments. Coverage limits can be chosen up to 50% of the dairy’s average weekly production. Lower limits can also be selected, and premiums will adjust accordingly.

“Milkshake brings a lot of peace of mind,” says Van de Pol. “It’s a great way to protect us from weather events that we can’t control, and help our operation run a lot more smoothly. Plus, it’s a great way to just help take another risk issue off the table.”

Farmers choose their own THI triggers, usually between 75 and 82, based on their farm’s historical experience rather than a state or regional average. They also select the number of heat event days they wish to cover: seven-day; seven- and five-day; or three-, five- and seven-day coverage durations. Lower THI triggers and fewer heat event days are more common and cost more, while higher triggers and longer heat events are less frequent and less costly to insure.

“One of the things I really like about Milkshake is that we have a policy built for us based on our weather,” says Van de Pol. “It’s really easy to scale to the size of our operation, and it’s designed exactly for what we need and when we’re going to need it.”

Protect your people

As a business owner, you’re not only managing profit margins, but also the people side of the business. Your workforce is what keeps your operation going. It’s important to be proactive about protecting employees from heat and humidity, because often we don’t recognize the effects until it’s too late. Hydration is critical, as is proper clothing that improves breathability and limits heat retention.

Provide employees with training to recognize when they may be experiencing heat stress and to identify the signs in others. Make sure they know what to do if they or someone else shows symptoms of heat stress so they can act quickly to reduce potential dangers.

Protect your future

Surviving the impact of heat stress takes more than just one solution. A multifaceted approach is needed to reduce the impact on cow health and performance, keep workers safe from heat stress, and protect your business from the financial effects of reduced performance. May is the perfect time to put these protocols in place — schedule training with your staff, review your insurance coverage, and make sure you are properly covered before temperatures rise.

For more information on Milkshake, visit www.agri-servicesagency.com/heat-stress.

Agri-Services Agency specializes in providing customized insurance solutions for dairy farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. ASA has access to nationwide coverage options and offers unique agriculture insurance products like heat stress and pollution coverage.

ASA offers property and casualty insurance, workers’ compensation, individual and group health insurance, dental coverage, vision plans, wellness programs and life insurance. ASA is committed to helping farmers and agribusinesses access comprehensive insurance coverage at a price that fits their budget.