The comfort zone for tropical cattle is at an air temperature of 22 to 30 Celcius. The average temperature in the tropics is around 27.5 Celcius. With that in mind, the majority of livestock problems in Indonesia come from heat stress.

Cattle that experience heat stress due to increased environmental temperatures will have problems in their thyroid gland function. This will affect appetite and cause decreased concentrations of growth hormone and glucocorticoids.

Preparations and Considerations

Avoid unnecessary handling, transporting, or moving of cattle. If it must be done, do it in the early morning hours using low-stress handling techniques.
Observe cattle for abnormal behavior since problems often occur during stressful events. Watch the cattle's movement, location, and behavior for indications of problems.
Shade needs to be provided by allowing access to pasture with trees, or giving access to open buildings.
Provide adequate ventilation by using fans to move air out or through the building, or open sides of the barn.
Beware of using sprinklers, as it can create more humidity without proper air movement to remove it.

Cattle Production Model