4-H animals survive heat wave unscathed
Extreme temperatures made for an uncomfortable start to the week at the Putnam County 4-H Fair.
It’s what didn’t happen that matters, though.
With all animals moved in at the fair as well as four livestock shows taking place during the heat advisory that lasted from Thursday through Sunday, 4-H members and volunteers managed to keep the animals safe and healthy throughout.
County Extension Director Mark Evans reported no heat-related health issues for animals as of Monday morning.
With the heat not breaking until storms rolled through Sunday afternoon and evening, four different projects — goats, dairy, horse and pony and llama and alpaca — conducted part or all of their shows in temperatures in the mid-90s, with heat indices nearing 110.
Dairy superintendent Gary Stevens’ simple advice of “there’s no need to get in a big hurry” seemed to carry the day.
Evans also addressed a rumor that seems to creep up every year — that a pig died in the heat.
This rumor is, once again, not true.
In fact, there was one hog that came for a check-in Saturday morning looking heat stressed. Swine officials requested that the owners take it back home.
As of Monday, the animal was at home and healthy.
Evans said despite the heat, the controlled, precautious environment at the fairgrounds is often a better place for the animals to be.
“In most cases, the animals are in a cooler, better situation here because of the fans on them, the water on the roof and other precautions we take,” Evans said.
While keeping animals and people at the fair is a priority regardless of the weather, it does not appear temperatures will be a concern for the remainder of fair week.
Temperatures were slated to top out in the upper 70s on Monday and Tuesday and not climb any higher than the upper 80s for the rest of the week.