Preparing Your Herd for Hill Country Summer Heat

Mason County summers regularly push past 100°F, and heat stress is one of the most preventable problems we see in both cattle and horses this time of year. Animals under heat stress eat less, gain less, and are more vulnerable to everything from pinkeye to respiratory issues.

Water access is the first thing to check. Cattle need roughly twice their normal winter water intake in peak summer heat, and a single trough serving a large herd can become a bottleneck — add a second source if you're seeing crowding or aggression around water.

Shade matters as much as water. If pasture doesn't have natural tree cover, a simple shade structure over the loafing area reduces body temperature more than people expect, especially for darker-hided cattle that absorb more heat.

For horses, shift hard work to early morning or evening, and watch respiratory rate as a heat-stress indicator — if it stays elevated well after work stops, that's worth a call. We're also happy to walk through your specific setup on a farm visit before the worst of the heat hits.