Kildare farmers and animal owners urged to exercise caution during current heatwave
An Orange Fire Risk Warning is also in place
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has urged farmers, horse and pet owners in County Kildare and beyond to exercise caution during the current heatwave.
Martin Heydon TD (Fine Gael), alongside the Minister of State with responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Niall Collins TD (Fianna Fáil), are advising farmers and pet owners to protect their animals and themselves during the current high temperatures affecting the country.
Ministers Heydon and Collins are also urging people to be vigilant to fire as an Orange Fire Risk Warning is in place.
Explaining the importance of exercising caution during the hot weather, Minister Heydon said: “It is important that farmers, horse and pet owners take steps to protect their animals during high temperatures to avoid the possibility of serious health and welfare problems arising due to the excessive heat.
“Hot weather can pose a risk to pets and livestock and it is vital to take action to protect animals in these conditions,” he added. “Having adequate shelter or shade and ensuring a plentiful supply of drinking water are particularly important to protect animals from heat stroke and discomfort.”
FIRE WARNING
In addition, Minister Collins warned that, arising from current high temperatures, a high fire risk exists in all areas where dead grasses and dry shrubs such as heather and gorse exist: “I would encourage all landowners and managers to be vigilant to all fire activity and to report all suspicious activity to An Garda Síocáhna.
“Fire lines, Fire Plans, and fire suppression equipment should be made ready.
“I would also remind the public to cooperate with all fire safety requirements, not to light open fires or barbeques in high-risk areas, and rural users should co-operate with all requests regarding fire safety, and ensure vehicles do not to impede access by emergency services.”
Minister Collins also advised farmers and outdoor workers to protect themselves in hot weather, especially as farmers ‘are the most important asset on any farm’.
He elaborated: “Farmers and outdoor workers must stay safe in the sun by avoiding the intense heat during peak hours from 11am to 3pm.
“When outside, farmers should wear light, loose-fitting clothes that cover the skin, alongside a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
“Any exposed skin should be protected by regularly applying water-resistant sunscreen, using at least factor 30+ for adults and 50+ for children.”
Minister Collins concluded: “Finally, always stay in the shade whenever possible and keep well-hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day.”
PET SAFETY
Both Ministers also outlined a series of steps to take in order to ensure pets are safe in hot weather.
These include:
- Ensuring plentiful supply of drinking water both inside and outdoors
- Ensuring access to suitable shade or shelter away from direct sunlight
- Never leave your dog unattended in a car, even if the car is parked in the shade or with windows open; the temperature inside the car may rise rapidly, causing heat stroke which can be fatal
- Exercise your dog in the morning or the evening when temperatures are cooler. On longer walks, bring water for your dog to drink
- Surfaces that heat up in the sun, such as tarmac, pavements and sand, may be painful for your dog’s paws. If the surface is too hot for you to touch, walk your dog on grass or in shaded areas instead
- Regular grooming / clipping of dogs, particularly those with long or thick hair, helps dogs regulate their body temperature during hot weather
- As dogs can get sunburn, limit their exposure to direct sunlight and apply sunscreen to their ear tips and bridge of their nose if necessary
Lastly, they stressed for the public be aware of the signs of heat stroke: “If dogs become too hot, this may lead to heat stroke, a serious condition which can be fatal.
“Signs of heat stroke include heavy panting, drooling, lethargy, confusion, vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness or seizures.”
They concluded: “If you suspect your dog has heat exhaustion or heat stroke, please seek immediate veterinary attention and try to cool the dog down by moving to a cooler location, preferably indoors, wetting their body, ears and paws with cool (not very cold) water and offering small volumes of cool or lukewarm (not cold) water to drink.”
IMPACT REDUCTION
Furthermore, the Ministers outlined some key points to reduce the impact of high temperatures on farm animals and horses.
Firstly, they emphasised to ensure a plentiful supply of drinking water:
- The number of watering points and water flow may need to be increased during hot weather as demand increases
- Drinking points should be checked more often during hot weather to ensure they are working and that water pressure is adequate
- Stock should be monitored for signs of problems with water supply such as queuing or crowding at water points
Secondly, they said that there should be easy access to suitable shade or shelter:
- Vulnerable animals such as very young, old, or sick animals may need to be moved to a location with additional shade or shelter where they can be monitored more closely
- Holding areas for livestock and horses should have shaded areas available where possible and holding times should be minimised
- Outdoor poultry should have access to shade
- Outdoor pigs require access to a wallow to cool down, especially if the temperature is above 25 degrees Celsius (°C), as pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress
Thirdly, they advised minimising handling and transport:
- Movement or handling of cattle and other animals during hot weather can increase their body temperature by 0.5 to 3.5° C, causing heat stress
- Minimise handling in hot weather- if necessary, ensure animals are handled as early or late in the day as possible to coincide with cooler temperatures
- Avoid transporting animals in hot weather where possible
- If transport is necessary, plan to minimise journey length, transport during cooler hours and reduce the stocking density to allow for more airflow inside the vehicle
Fourthly, they said that intensively housed species, such as pigs and poultry, may need additional checks:
- Monitor the temperature in the animal accommodation closely and adjust ventilation accordingly
- Where automatic ventilation systems are in place, increase the frequency of monitoring of alarm and back-up systems
- Use water sprinklers for pigs to help cool them down
- Reduce stocking densities where necessary to increase air space and flow and to reduce the effect of heat generated by the animals themselves
Lastly, the Ministers urged farmers to monitor all livestock closely for health issues or heat stress:
- Livestock should always be checked more frequently in hot weather; animals at a higher risk of heat stress include young, dark-coloured or pregnant animals, animals recovering from illness, pigs and high-producing dairy cows
- Signs of heat stress include faster breathing or panting; loss of appetite; increased water intake; drooling; listlessness or lethargy. In severe cases, animals may become unconscious
- If you suspect an animal may be heat stressed, it is vital to act quickly. Steps to manage heat stressed animals include: moving them to shade or shelter; offering cool water; using sprinklers for cattle, pigs and horses, or allow the animals to stand in cool water; increase ventilation for housed species such as pigs and poultry; and reduce the stocking density to allow animals to lie out.
- If there is no improvement [in the condition of any animal], seek veterinary assistance without delay
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