If you own a farm or have visited a farm before in summer, you might have noticed cattle huddling together when the temperature is high. Especially in free-stall barns, there is a higher possibility for cattle to bunch together.Â
There have been many theories regarding why they tend to do this, such as cattle being social animals, the concept of herds, due to heat stress, and protection from insects. However, the first two theories have been disregarded by farmers and scientists.
There is another theory that they huddle in the heat because they can feel rain or storm coming, but this theory also is not authenticated.
Why Cattle Huddle Together in Heat?
Heat Stress
- They feel extremely hot
- Protection from insects: The cattle are irritated by flies
Heat stress in cattle is induced in summer or high temperatures; the more significant factor is humidity, which, if elevated, can cause heat stress even in low temperatures.
All cattle are affected by the heat but some more than others due to the colors of their hide. A cow with black leather will absorb more heat and, in turn, will feel hotter, whereas cattle with leathers of lighter shades will be lesser heat-stressed. In extreme cases, heat stress can cause bloat in cattle.
How do Cattle Handle Heat Stress?
Cattle are not able to handle the heat load well, along with not knowing how to dissipate the load evenly. Furthermore, cattle, in comparison to other animals, do not sweat a lot, so they rely on respiration as the only form of cooling.
When the temperatures in summer get too high, or humidity levels increase, cattle, as a behavioral instinct, stand closer to each other. This could be to seek fresh air as they stand in areas that are more open while having greater access to cool air.
They huddle together in areas of shade or where ever the darker, cooler place is in a free-stall barn, away from the sun. They even tend to stay away from the humidity or unpleasantness of the manure gasses caused by insufficient ventilation.
Insects
Another innate behavioral component for cattle is that they form groups as a reaction to flies and insects biting them. In summers and places with high humidity percentage, the number of insects or flies increases. In barns where the manure dump or lagoon is placed near the stalls have a higher population of insects. The insects create problems for the cattle by biting or stinging them or just plainly irritating them.
How do Cattle Protect Themselves from Insects?
It is hard to find insects in a place with good air passage, so the cattle huddles together to restrict the insects. Huddling together also decreases the overall load of insects on a singular animal. The number of insects or flies now has more cows to attack in an area rather than one cow.
This way, the burden does not fall on one cow. The cattle also huddle together and as a team to swat away the flies and insects by their tails. This way, the cattle prevent the flies from getting inside the herd.
