Emergency Cooling Rooms for High Wet Bulb Heat Days

[PeteyPie]

I have been following concerned forecasts about very high temperature heat waves which are predicted to happen in various parts of the world, specifically, those combined with high humidity. The useful measurement is called a wet bulb temperature. These heat waves will mostly affect areas near the Equator which tend to have high humidity and of course, poorer areas where people don’t have air conditioning. Everything I’ve read that discusses temperatures which are not survivable are talking about human survival, and I haven’t read anything about livestock.

Do you have any plan to protect your animals if such a heat wave occurs? I do not. I live in Southern California where we tend to have very dry weather and I board my horse, so I don’t have control over the facilities. I would be interested to hear what solutions you all may have come up with. Fans don’t cut it.

Here is an article which explains wet bulb temperatures, but as you can see, only talks about human parameters:

Deadly ‘wet-bulb temperatures’ are being stoked by climate change and heat waves

[candyappy]

Not much the average person can do. Just give your animals adequate shade and access to water and hope for the best. I would definitely have fans ( big ones) for any animals inside. I think it is actually cooler out in the open then closed up in a stall.

No forced activity if it is that bad.

[Scribbler]

We had an increased human mortality rate during our “heat dome” event last summer. The most vulnerable are elderly and mobility compromised people who are shut ins in urban areas. We don’t typically have air conditioning in residential buildings here because the summer is short.

In equatorial countries the window air con unit is ubiquitous in urban areas and likely in many more rural areas. People likely have experience adapting their outdoor workload to heat waves. Horses don’t in general do well in hot humid tropical countries. The water buffalo likes to stand in ponds to cool off.

In North America shade, water, no heavy work, is good for horses in unexpected heat events.

[wsmoak]

I have a very old, heavy type (Irish Draught) horse… who does not sweat. He has a fan in his shelter but I think it’s hotter in there than outside if there is any kind of a breeze. So I park him under a shade tree and spray him down with our icy cold well water until he stops panting.

[lenapesadie]

Being native to the hot humid climate of the Gulf Coast, I built an airy barn. It’s just a giant carport with shade screens and pipe corral stalls. Maximum airflow, maximum shade. I turn the fans on to force more air when it’s particularly hot. I’ll hose the horses off on hotter days as well. I give them extra electrolytes too. I hang hay bags in the shade so the horses don’t feel like they need to go graze in the sun.

For people in high heat without access to AC, cooling wet rags, ice packs etc can help. I’ve seen box fans blown over buckets of ice, but I dunno how much that does.

[happilyretired]

We have lots of hot humid weather in Central Florida. We built the barn to maximize air flow and have fans in all the stalls. It’s actually cooler inside the barn than out in the shade on really hot days. The horses go out in the early morning and come in mid to late morning as it gets hotter – they’re all ready to come in at that point. We have a covered arena so never work in the sun when its hot which makes a big difference and our arena usually has a breeze. Short sets in the morning with lots and lots of walk breaks. Cool showers for the horses afterwards. Salt blocks for all and electrolytes dissolved in water after any kind of work. Watch the horses carefully to be sure they are sweating — if they develop anhidrosis it can be dangerous. And wait for October …