Summer started this week and the high temperatures normally reserved for late July into August seemed to arrive earlier than normal. The Tyler area is behind in rainfall for 2009 about 7 inhces below normal. June, unless something changes this weekend, is about 3 inches below normal.
Make sure to take care of yourself and your livestock. This is a good time of year to make sure that your livestock have adequate access to water. Cattle need 7 to 18 gallons of water a day depending upon size and stage of lactation. Horses require about the same amount of water as cattle. Sheep and goats, which are smaller animals need between 1 and 4 gallons daily. A good rule of thumb is that most animals require around 2 gallons per 100 pounds of body weight per day.
Make sure to take care of yourself as well when working with animals. The following link to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service's Familiy and Consumer Sciences web site talks about preventing heat exhaustion and heat stress. Drink plenty of cool water and take your time.
http://fcs.tamu.edu/health/child_health/heat/heat_exhaustion_heat_stress.php
