The hot weather and high humidity that settled in Queensland and some areas of New South Wales last week caused a mass die-off of cattle. This was reported by the Australian portal Beef Central, dedicated to livestock farming.
According to information from the publication, the deaths began over the weekend. Some farmers lost between 20 and 50 head of cattle on the first day, with financial losses for agricultural producers exceeding $100,000 daily. British breed cattle and animals in the final stages of fattening were the most affected.
The cause of the animals' deaths was adverse weather conditions described as a “perfect storm”: temperatures reached 39 °C, and humidity was 97% with virtually no wind (rare gusts did not exceed 2 m/s). The situation was exacerbated by abnormally high nighttime temperatures, which increased the stress on cattle at feedlots.
“Cattle usually cool down with the onset of evening coolness, but unusual nighttime temperatures of 28-30 °C prevented this from happening,” the publication quotes one industry representative. He noted that the impending problem was known in advance, and veterinary specialists at the feedlots took all possible measures to prevent deaths. Without their qualified assistance, the number of casualties could have been significantly higher, the publication reports.
