By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

LEXINGTON, Ky. — To say it has been hot lately is an understatement as the state saw record heat for much of June.
The last few days of the month brought a return to more comfortable temperatures, but for the most part, heat indices reached nearly triple digits several days prompting livestock heat stress warnings from experts at the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture.

“The heat index is a combination of air temperature and humidity. That one-two punch makes it hazardous for people and animals,” said Tom Priddy, UK meteorologist. “Dew point temperatures above 65 degrees lead officials to declare conditions dangerous for livestock. The UK Agricultural Weather Center regularly monitors heat indices across the state and provides an index of its own – the Livestock Heat Stress Index – to help producers know when heat stress could create a problem for their animals.”

Even with moderate breaks in the weather, it is summer and hot temperatures are expected with most farmers used to it but there are still precautions to take.

“A big concern is to provide your livestock and your pets and your own person with plenty of water,” added Priddy. “The key is to hydrate. And with your livestock, if you can provide them shaded water, that will help that much more.”

Change to La Niña
Priddy said the weather pattern responsible for the warmer than normal June came by way of a quick change in weather patterns from what is known as El Niño and to La Niña. A similar weather pattern occurred in 1998.

“We had anywhere from six to eight to 10 inches of rain in June and parts of July that year when we went from a strong El Niño to a moderate La Niña in such a short time period,” he said. “It really had an impact on global weather particularly here in Kentucky.”
Priddy noted that we have had some unusual periods of rainfall so far this year, and that actually the state was set to go into a moderate drought situation before the heavy rains came creating flooding conditions that occurred in early May.

“Now, if we continue to slide into a moderate to strong La Niña, that tends to provide, in Kentucky, a drier weather pattern for the summer and the fall and that is kind of what we are looking for,” he said.

Of course that means drier soil and higher temperatures said Priddy. “We are in a tropical, summertime, Kentucky pattern and it’s going to stay that way for a while. We typically don’t see the temperatures in the mid-90s until July. It truly has been a little bit hotter than normal.”

Hot weather was slated to return by mid-week and UK College of Agriculture livestock specialist Bill Crist recommends providing plenty of fresh water, adequate feed and shade for livestock to help keep animals’ internal body temperature within normal limits.
Also, it is recommended, to keep cattle from becoming overheated, not to work the animals during periods of heat stress.

“Certainly, you do not want to work cattle with this kind of weather – veterinarian work, reproductive checks or vaccinations,” Crist said.
It is advisable not to transport animals during a heat emergency, as well, but if it becomes necessary, fewer animals should be transported in a load. It is also important to keep buildings adequately ventilated. Sprinkler systems that periodically spray a cool mist on the animals also are beneficial, according to information from UK.

Now, for the good news. If there is an upside to the weather pattern that has been affecting the state, it could be the fact that some of the corn and soybean crops have grown ahead of schedule; in some cases way ahead of schedule.

“All that water and the heat too, provided optimum growing conditions,” said Priddy. He referred to a call from someone near Indianapolis who said he had never seen the corn so high in Central Indiana before. “We’re seeing that all across the Ohio Valley right now,” he continued.

Whether that will equate into a great harvest depends on just how dry it gets the remainder of the growing season. Priddy said it could be good that the state received abundant rainfall early.
Another concern of a La Niña is that an increase in hurricane activity is generally associated with that pattern. Hurricane Alex may be a signal proving that point.

Priddy also said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its hurricane outlook information noting a very active season is anticipated.