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Hot weather can put serious stress on livestock, affecting everything from feed intake to reproduction. While goats and sheep tend to tolerate heat better than cattle or pigs, extended periods of high temperature, especially when paired with humidity, can lead to heat stress that compromises their health and productivity.
In this post, we’ll cover the practical steps, research-backed strategies, and nutritional supplements that farmers and ranchers can use to protect their herds.
Table of contents
- Why Heat Stress Matters
- Heat tolerance for goats and sheep
- Recognizing heat stress signs
- Shade: Natural or artificial
- Access to water, electrolytes and minerals
- Feed nutrition and timing
- Wool and coat management
- Shelter airflow and ventilation
- Emergency cooling measures
- Aloe vera for internal heat resilience
- Long-term heat resilience
- Checklist: How to keep goats cool in the summer (or reduce heat stress)
Why Heat Stress Matters
Heat stress happens when animals absorb or retain more heat than they can release. This stress can cause:
- Reduced feed and water intake
- Lethargy and poor weight gain
- Lower fertility and milk production
- Weak immune function
- Death in severe cases
Even animals that are still eating may struggle, since extreme heat can throw their internal systems off balance and affect how their body functions (Renaudeau et al., 2012, p. 711).
Heat tolerance for goats and sheep
While small ruminants are more heat-tolerant than other livestock, some are better adapted than others:
- Goats: High sweating efficiency and water conservation abilities (can lose up to 35% body water and recover).
- Hair sheep: Better suited to hot, dry climates than wool breeds.
- Dark fleece: Absorbs more radiant heat.
- Wool sheep: Require careful shearing and coat management to avoid overheating.
Sources: Renaudeau et al., 2012, p. 713; University of Maryland Extension
Recognizing heat stress signs
Watch for these early warning signs:
- Panting, open-mouth breathing
- Drooling or foam at the mouth
- Reduced feed or water intake
- Lethargy or stiffness
- Rectal temp over 105°F (severe over 107°F)
When animals pant to cool off for too long, it can lead to electrolytes imbalances. They can also lose too much carbon dioxide, which can throw off the balance of their blood and make it too alkaline. This condition—called alkalosis—can lead to muscle weakness and mess with how their body handles minerals and stress. (Renaudeau et al., 2012, p. 714).
Shade: Natural or artificial
Proper shade is essential, both for comfort and survival.
- Trees and brush provide the best cooling due to evapotranspiration.
- Reflective-roof shelters are effective for mobile or paddock setups.
- Ensure 3.5–4.5 m² per animal to avoid crowding in the shade.
Sources: Renaudeau et al., 2012, p. 715; University of Maryland Extension
Access to water, electrolytes and minerals
Hydration is critical. Livestock can consume up to 25% of their body weight in water during extreme heat.
Electrolyte supplementation works
A 2024 study by Gałęcki et al. found that electrolyte supplementation significantly improved hydration, lowered body temperatures, and stabilized kidney function in sheep under heat stress.
Electrolyte-supplemented sheep showed:
- Lower rectal temps
- Higher feed and water intake
- Improved blood levels of important minerals like sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate, which support hydration, muscle function, and overall balance in the body
- Reduced creatinine and urea, which means less kidney stress
- Better energy and ruminating behavior
Source: Gałęcki et al., 2024, pp. 5–7
How to use electrolytes:
- Offer free-choice water with 4.5 g/L electrolyte powder or follow instructions on the bag. Use a brand formulated for livestock. We like to use BlueLite Electrolytes for goats and sheep.
- Always provide access to plain water nearby.
- Avoid adding to all tanks, some goats and sheep may avoid it due to taste
- It also can be used during other times of stress, such as lactation or transport
Also ensure free-choice mineral is always available, either for goats or sheep depending on your herd/flock.
Feed nutrition and timing
Feeding causes internal heat (thermic effect of digestion), so adjust accordingly:
- Feed during early morning or late evening. With grazing use the same timing for moving goats and sheep to new paddocks when using rotational grazing practices.
- Use high-fat, low-fiber feeds to reduce metabolic heat
- Supplement hay if grazing declines
This approach lowers heat load and supports energy intake when animals are less active.
Source: Renaudeau et al., 2012, p. 717; University of Maryland Extension
Wool and coat management
- Shear sheep in late spring, leaving about 1 inch of wool for sun protection.
- Avoid soaking fleece, wet wool traps heat.
- Spritz water on non-wool areas like underbellies, ears, and legs.
These strategies help avoid overheating while preserving fleece quality.
Shelter airflow and ventilation
Whether in a barn or open shelter:
- Ensure cross-ventilation
- Use fans during stagnant weather
- Avoid handling or transporting during peak heat
Combined with shade and hydration, air movement is a powerful cooling tool (Renaudeau et al., 2012, p. 716).
Emergency cooling measures
If you notice signs of heat stress with your goats and sheep:
- Move the animal to shade immediately
- Offer cool water, but never force it
- Apply cool water or rubbing alcohol to the neck, armpits, groin, and legs to help lower body temperature during heat stress (University of Maryland Extension).
- Avoid wetting fleece
- Monitor rectal temperature and contact a veterinarian if it rises above 105°F, since temperatures in that range commonly indicate severe heat stress (University of Missouri Extension).
Aloe vera for internal heat resilience
Recent research from El-Shafei et al. (2024) shows aloe vera:
- Boosts the animal’s natural antioxidant enzymes, like SOD (superoxide dismutase) and catalase, which act like internal defense systems to protect cells from heat-related damage and support recovery.
- Reduces cell damage caused by heat and stress, often called oxidative damage, by lowering harmful compounds like MDA in the body.
- Supports immune response
- Lowers body temperature and stress hormone levels (cortisol)
- Improves feed efficiency in heat-stressed animals
How to use: Follow instructions on product label. Aloe vera pellets and granules can be fed with grain or mixed into mineral, while liquid or power can be mixed with water.
Source: El-Shafei et al., 2024, JAVS
Long-term heat resilience
Manage your sheep flock and/or goat herd to support summer survival:
- Select heat-tolerant breeds
- Incorporate silvopasture for natural shade
- Adjust handling, weaning, and breeding to avoid high heat
- Maintain infrastructure for airflow and water access (see earlier sections for tips)
Small ruminants tolerate dry heat well, but struggle more in humid conditions, making airflow and electrolyte support even more important (Renaudeau et al., 2012, p. 713).
Checklist: How to keep goats cool in the summer (or reduce heat stress)
- Shade: trees or reflective shelters
- Water: fresh, shaded, and close
- Electrolyte water (4.5 g/L) and plain water
- Free-choice mineral blends
- Feed early or late, using high-fat rations, or timing with your grazing paddock moves
- No fleece soaking, spritz bare areas only
- Fans or natural ventilation
- Aloe vera supplementation
- Minimal handling mid-day
- Monitor body temps and signs of stress
Managing heat stress in goats and sheep takes a combination of environmental control, nutritional supplementation, and close observation. With simple adjustments like shaded areas, early feeding or grazing moves, electrolytes, and strategic supplements like aloe vera, you can help your herd stay cool, comfortable, and productive, even in peak summer conditions.
References
- El-Shafei, H.A.M., et al. (2024). Effect of Aloe vera Supplementation on Stress Indicators and Productivity in Livestock. Journal of Advanced Veterinary and Animal Sciences. Link
- Gałęcki, R., et al. (2024). Effects of Electrolyte Supplementation on the Health Status of Sheep Exposed to Heat Stress. Annals of Animal Science, 24(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2024-0095
- Renaudeau, D., et al. (2012). Adaptation to Hot Climate and Strategies to Alleviate Heat Stress in Livestock Production. Animal, 6(5), 707–728. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731111002448
- University of Maryland Extension. (n.d.). Managing Heat Stress in Sheep and Goats
University of Missouri Extension. (n.d.). Heat stress in livestock. Retrieved from https://extension.missouri.edu
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