Heat stress management must start before finishing if beef quality is to be protected

The backgrounding phase of fall-born calves is at the centre of a new project at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The team is investigating whether a commercial omega-3 polyunsaturated-fatty-acid feed additive can reduce the physiological consequences of summer heat stress. The project addresses a specific gap: much heat-stress research concentrates on finishing cattle, whereas animals in fall-calving systems experience summer heat during backgrounding.