Nutritional Interventions to Combat Heat Stress in Dairy Animals

Abstract

Stress due to stressful environmental conditions especially during peak summers affects the production ability in dairy animals and this situation is further aggravated by humid climate.  Extent of heat stress can be measured by the temperature-humidity Index (THI). A THI level above 75 is considered stressful and requires urgent management. Nutritional interventions are one of the vital tools to combat the heat stress situation. Provision of clean drinking water round the clock is the most important and primary requisite of management. Feeding nutrient dense meals at cool hours of day will help to compensate the reduced feed intake. Altered nutritional requirement during summer stress could be taken care by maintaining proper mineral balance and a healthy ruminal environment. Increasing the DCAD of diet (optimum level +25 to +30 mEq/100 g DM) also enhances intake and improves blood buffering capacity to overcome acidosis. Antioxidant rich diet supplementation checks cortisol level and induces antioxidant enzymatic activity, thus reduces incidences of reproductive losses.