ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2023 35 circulate air and maintaining adequate water supply. Farm managers can also look at nutritional approaches to mitigate effects on performance, including using microbial-based solutions that have been proven effective in beef cattle. NUTRITIONAL AIDS TO MITIGATE HEAT STRESS Elevated temperatures trigger cortisol secretion, which is known as the stress hormone. Scientists have shown that heat stress in cattle can affect innate immunity, disrupt inflammatory patterns and affect antioxidant capacity (Li et al., 2021). Nutrition can help balance the antioxidant capacity, reduce inflammation and improve digestive discomfort. • Maintaining antioxidant balance Supplementing the appropriate quality and quantity of antioxidants can help animals better cope with heat stress and rebalance their antioxidant capacity. Feeding a specific antioxidant with a high level of bioavailability — such as selenium enriched yeast (Alkosel) — and a supplement rich in superoxide dismutase (SOD) (Melofeed) under a high heat stress environment was shown to: - Improve antioxidant capacity (Niwinska and Andrejewski, 2017; Lallemand Animal Nutrition internal data, 2020), • Barn design and cooling strategies o Ventilation: everywhere in the barn (above cubicles and feed bunk)/sprinklers o No grazing during warmest periods of the day o Fresh, clear and easily accessible drinking water (10% of the herd can drink at the same time) • Nutrition o Fresh/palatable diets o Easily digestible feed (quality forage) o Increase energy content of diet but avoid drastic changes o Support antioxidant status o Prevent rumen acidosis with increased buffer capacity o Improve feeding behavior: chewing/rumination time with increased meal frequency • Planning work o Rest o No action at hot periods o Feed just before cooler periods and push up the feed more often o Avoid any stress/handling Practical tips
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