Living in Texas, it is a given that there will be high temperatures in the summer. You keep cool with air conditioning inside your home, but what about your animals? Learn some tips to keep your animals cool during the height of August heat.
Give Them Plenty of Water
One of the most important things to do is to ensure that your animals have access to clean water. Take it a step further by ensuring that the water is cool as well. You don’t necessarily have to go out of your way and add ice cubes to the water. Just place it in the shade instead of under direct sunlight.
That said, if you can freeze some ice for your animals, that would be great. Depending on your setup, you may even want to make giant ice blocks in plastic tubs. Add these to the water troughs in the morning, and your animals will be thankful.
Make Frozen (or Cold) Treats
Supplement the refreshing water by giving frozen treats to your animals. Some may be happy with some ice cubes, but you can also get creative. For example, you can chill grain, fruits, or vegetables in the fridge.
Consider Sprinklers
Many animals also like to cool off in the water, such as in a pond. There is a simpler solution that comes with a lower risk of disease as well – sprinklers. Set up landscaping sprinklers on a timer. Your animals are likely to take advantage of this.
You can skip this tip for goats, sheep, and poultry, however. They don’t usually like entering the water.
Check Ventilation
Don’t forget to make sure that wherever your animals are located has plenty of ventilation. If they are outside, then the fresh air should be enough. However, if they are inside, then install some fans. For most situations, you will want a heavy-duty fan. Those are more likely to put up with dust, fur, hay, and other debris in the air.
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Give Them Plenty of Shade
It tends to be significantly cooler in the shade than under the sun. Just like humans, animals will stay cooler if they can sit in the shade to relax there.
The easiest way to give your animals shade is to put them somewhere with plenty of trees. If that isn’t an option, consider adding an overhang to the barn. You could even build a simple structure with four posts and a tarp for them to sit under.
With the above tips, your animals should be ready to handle the heat that August throws their way. While you don’t have to use all of the tips above, the more you follow, the more comfortable your animals will be.
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