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Community Education

Real change must come from the community!

Animals Need Shade need your help! As those in power are often too afraid to say too much, worried that they will lose their jobs, be blacklisted, or loose funding. 

This is the greatest tragedy as it means that millions of animals are suffering right now because those in authority who have the opportunity to make a difference only contribute to their suffering by doing nothing. There is a complicity in the silence and indifference shown to the suffering that Farm animals experience by those who are in position to make a change.

There are millions of paddocks all over Australia and throughout the world where farm animals will continue to face a life of misery in the blazing sun with no shade shelter.  We the community – can stop this!   Millions of lambs will die this winter.  Other farm animals are struggling with the pain felt from the cold without protection from hail, heavy rain, wind and other harsh weather conditions as we speak.

 

 
 

Examples of Insufficient Care

The gallery below will give you an idea of signs of shade deprevation or areas of insufficient shading to help you better understand what to look for when you see an animal suffering

Warning: The gallery below contains images of animals suffering and in great distress

Reading the Weather

THE WEATHER AND HOW TO READ IT

 

 

 

Choose a trusted weather app to download onto your phone – In Australia we recommend the Bureau of Meteorology’s officiall App which is available for both Android and Apple phone (Click here for more info). Please note the following regarding the correct collection of data for reading the weatheMeasuring the region directly near an animal will measure the microclimate close to the animal.   

  • The micro climate of an animal that is overcrowded  will be significantly higher if there is airflow between animals.
  • Time of reading eg the hottest part of the day as opposed to coolest.  Are weather stations taking temperatures for the hottest times of the day?
  • Weather stations must include readings temperatures for every day of the year. Not excluding any days. Days are missing in some months even on govt weather station readings which can significantly effect average temperatures and our understanding of when and how an animal suffers.
  • Are weather stations positioned on hills or in low lying regions where there is less air movement and therefore hotter.  Are they at the same level as the herd?  

 

HOW TO GET THE DATA YOU NEED TO SHOW HOW MANY DAYS IN A MONTH ARE OVER 30 DEGREES  

1.   http://www.bom.gov.au/ 

2. Go to OUR SERVICES and click on CLIMATE AND PAST WEATHER (blue box)  

3. Go to WEATHER AND CLIMATE DATA – (on the left hand side) 

4. You will see more drop down menus  – choose TEMPERATURE 

5. Select a Weather Station  (NB: The weather station may or may not give a true representation of where large concentrations of farm animals are held. Factors effecting a weather station include positioning – many animals are kept in low lying regions where it is hotter)  (EG At some locations within the scenic rim Queensland (Southeast Queensland) Australia some locals have registered days at 50 degrees on their themometres however weather station data closest to this region do not convey this high level of heat)

6. click on a area  

7.choose matching town 

8. get data  

NOTE: you can view as text or as a map

 

 

 

The Climate Crisis

The climate crisis has had devastating effects on suffering Farm animals denied shade shelter both in Australia and other parts of the world.   Heatwaves, now commonplace combined with the effects of the blistering sun contributes to a life of misery which can result in a painful and slow death.

 

Rising temperatures and prolonged periods of high heat have a cumulative effect on the physiological and psychological life of a Farm animal.  The community have a right to know how the climate crisis is effecting all Farm Animals.

 

Just as damaging are the effects of cold temperatures in winter where plummeting temperatures have seen all animals, including Farm animals suffer extreme pain from the cold.  The conditions are made unbearale by Icy winds, rain and hail and contribute to the daily suffering of Farm animals, many who perish, without adequate shade shelter.

 

 

 

Useful Links

 

 

Glossary of Terms

Below are some useful terms to help when reading about Heat Pain

 

  • Heat Stress – Also referred to as Hyperthermia, Heat Stroke, Excessive Heat Load – Effects all animals
  • THI – temperature humidity index – used to measure the combined impact of humidity and temperature and the point at which a farm animal begins to suffer and organs become susceptable to change.
  •  THL – temperature head load – (Also referred to as Excessive Heat Load) Used to measure the cumulative impact of heat on animals to determine at what point they might suffer.
  • Humidity (adjective: humid) refers to water vapor in the air, but not to liquid droplets in fog, clouds, or rain. … The term “relative humidity” is used to note the amount of humidity as a percent, from 0-100%.
  • Temperature Humidity Index Chart (THI) – Is a chart which measures humidity in relation to temperature and the point at which a species of animal will begin to suffer heat pain.  Heat Load –  used to describe the level of heat accumulated inside an animals body in the face of continual hot weather making it difficulty to dissipate heat.  Heat load is not measured by the THI index.  Solar radiation, ground heat and air movement are not included in the THI index.Heat Stress Threshold – The point at which Farm animals begin to suffer which has a direct which may or may not include cumulative heat load and the impact on normal physiological processes
  • Heat Stress Score – (Heat Stress Threshold/HST)
  • Panting Score & Respiratory =Respiratory Rate (RR) The level of heat pain is measured in the number of pants made per minute.
  • Respiratory Disease – A disease that may affect farm animals that are subjected to high temperatures without relief.  Many animals that are not defined as farm animals are also effected by this disease.
  • Bovine Respiratory Disease –   Particularly prevalent in feedlots and regarded as the most common of all illnesses and the cause of most cattle deaths.  It is especially severe for new arrivals in the first four weeks.
  • Feed lot – A feedlot is a type of animal feeding operation which is used in intensive animal farming, notably beef cattle, but also swine, horses, sheep, turkeys, chickens or ducks, and sheep prior to slaughter.  Intensive feeding for fattening (otherwise called FINISHING) which does not involve grazing grass on paddocks
  • Pink Eye – A painful condition effecting some farm animals particularly those with protruding eyes.  When ultraviolet radiation/bright sunlight is high it can be one of the predisposing factors to infection.  Can result in ruptured cornea and loss of eyesight if not treated.  Without eyesight animals can die from starvation and thirst. 
  • Sudden Death – one of the possible symptons of heat pain, which may or may not be associated with heart failure.
  • Approximate body temperature = BT (°C)
  • Dry bulb temperature is the ambient air temperature measured with a conventional thermometer that is shielded from direct rays of the sun.
  • A wet bulb thermometer is a conventional thermometer with its bulb and lower stem wrapped in an absorbent cotton wick that is wet with distilled water for 30 minutes or more before the temperature is read. It provides a measure of temperature adjusted for the cooling effect of evaporation and air movement.
  • A black globe (or globe) thermometer is a conventional thermometer with the bulb inserted into a large (15 cm) sphere that is painted with a matte black finish. This measures temperature adjusted for the effect of radiant heat and air movement.
  • Arpansa – Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

  • Evaluation by ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), in accordance with AS/NZS 4399, Sun A1 protection clothing—Evaluation and classification, is not appropriate for evaluating shade fabrics for horticultural use or human protection.   Source https://infostore.saiglobal.com/preview/500813904824.pdf?sku=99144_SAIG_AS_AS_208464

    UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) – This is NOT the preferred method/rating system for measuring exposure of animals to the sun from shade cloth

    UVR. As well as ultraviolet radiation that reaches us directly from the sun, we can receive UVR exposure from what is known as indirect UV radiation (also known as diffuse or scattered radiation). Indirect UVR occurs when solar radiation is reflected to the ground from particles in the atmosphere, or reflected off nearby surfaces such as buildings, snow or water. This means that we can still receive some UVR exposure even when we are shaded and can’t see the sun directly.

  • Ultraviolet Effectiveness (UVE) rating that shows how effective a shade fabric is at providing shade for sun protection for animals.Products tested to this standard will be issued with Ultraviolet Effectiveness (UVE%) rating which is essentially a protection factor rating expressed as a percentage

  • ARPANSA RECOMMENDS UVE RATING TO BE APPLIED TO SHADE STRUCTURE FABRIC INSTEAD OF UPF RATING.  HAS THIS HAPPENED?
  • https://www.arpansa.gov.au/our-services/testing-and-calibration/ultraviolet-radiation-testing/shade-fabric-testing
  • “Products such as umbrellas and shade structures which are not in close proximity to the skin will provide a lesser degree of protection than would be indicated by the rating of the material from which the product is made, because of the amount of scattered radiation that could enter from around the edges of the product. The amount of this radiation will vary with the area of the product, and the distance of the product from the body. This Standard is therefore not appropriate for evaluating such items.ARPANSA recommends for the UVE rating to be applied to shade structure fabrics instead of a UPF rating. Although the same considerations still apply about sunlight entering a shade structure and reducing the protection rating, the protection rating from the shade fabric standard is intended for use with shade structure fabrics and is stated to be applicable. Note that New Zealand opted not to adopt this document as a joint Australian/New Zealand standard.”

 

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