On demand: Webinar on heat stress
Did you miss it? Recently sister title, All About Feed, hosted a webinar on the very ‘hot’ and important topic of heat stress in livestock. If you have missed this webinar or would like to watch it again, be sure to catch it on demand – it’s available now!
In poultry, heat stress affects growth, reproductive performance, and egg production. In pigs, increase respiration and a loss of appetite can be seen. In dairy cows, decreased performance and reduced milk production is linked to heat stress. These are just some consequences of heat stress. But what can be done? What are the feed and nutrition strategies that can combat heat stress? What role does animal health, gut integrity and, for example, natural betaine have in mitigating the harmful effects of livestock?
ON demand: WATCH this free webinar here
The speakers during this webinar covered many aspects of these questions. Speakers and presentations:
1. Dr Deepashree Kand, Global Technical Marketing Consultant at IFF
Dr Kand is responsible for providing technical support with a focus on ruminant portfolio products at Danisco Animal Nutrition and Health (IFF). She is a ruminant nutrition specialist and holds a PhD degree in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Hohenheim, Germany. Before joining IFF, she worked at Mootral, focusing on sustainable livestock production involving methane reduction in ruminants.
She presented on: Nature’s osmolyte power to combat heat stress
- The impact of heat stress on ruminants
- Review betaines’ dual role and how a natural betaine can help cows mitigate and maintain profitable livestock
ON demand: WATCH this free webinar here
2. Dr Ruth Raspoet, Poultry R&D Manager at Phileo by Lesaffre
Dr Raspoet received a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Biotechnology at Ghent University. In 2014, she obtained a PhD in Veterinary Medical Science, studying the survival mechanisms of Salmonella Enteritidis in egg white. After contributing on studies for Salmonella vaccine development with Ghent University, she joined Phileo by Lesaffre in 2015 as Poultry R&D Manager. Her core function is to develop new products, services and solutions for the poultry industry.
She discussed: Heat stress: Underlying mechanism and mitigation of harmful effects
Summer is coming in 2 or 3 months in the northern part of the world, but poultry producers and feed manufacturers are already anticipating this issue. Let’s see why it’s important to anticipate heat stress management:
Why heat stress is harmful to birds
- Impact on gut integrity and health status
- Influence on overall health status and immunity
How to mitigate the negative effects of heat stress
- Decrease pathogen pressure
- Improve gut health
- Enhance natural defences
- Reduce mortality and FCR, increase performance
3. Professor Philip Thornton, Research & Innovation Strategist, Clim-Eat and Honorary Professor, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh
He presented on: Future heat stress in domesticated livestock: How bad can it get?
The talk presented the results of 2 new analyses:
- One was on projected increases in the prevalence of extreme heat stress in cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and pigs.
- The second was on the projected costs of future production losses in cattle meat and milk production due to increased heat stress.
The talk finished with a brief look at some of the implications of the future heat stress challenge in livestock systems.
