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Farm productivity dipping?
Stress could be the silent culprit Draining up to 30% of your output and profits.
What is stress?
Stress is the body and mind’s response to anything that disrupts normal balance or causes discomfort in animals. Different types of stress can be the silent trigger behind your animals poor health and productivity.
From reduced feed intake to compromised growth and immunity, stress quietly undermines performance on farms. Here are the common stressors that might be keeping your animals tense and your productivity lower than expected.
1. Environmental Stress
Environmental conditions play a key role in animal comfort and health.
- Heat Stress: High temperatures and humidity disrupt thermoregulation, leading to reduced feed intake and lower productivity.
- Humidity Stress:Humidity stress causes discomfort in organisms by intensifying the sensation of heat, as reflected by rising Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) levels.
- Cold Stress: Prolonged exposure to low temperatures can suppress immunity and growth.
- Ammonia Stress: Poor ventilation increases ammonia concentration, damaging respiratory health.
- Farm Stress: Noisy surroundings, poor lighting, unhygienic floors, or overcrowded housing create ongoing discomfort.
2. Physiological & Metabolic Stress
Stress at the cellular level impacts performance and long-term health.
- Disease Stress: Infections or parasitic loads activate the immune system, diverting energy from growth and production.
- Oxidative Stress: Physical and chronic stress can trigger oxidative stress in poultry by increasing free radical production and overwhelming the bird’s antioxidant defenses.
- Metabolic Stress: High energy demands during lactation, gestation, or peak can lead to metabolic stress.
- Production Stress:Rapid growth and performance stress, such as over-pushing animals for eggs, milk, or weight gain strains their natural limits.
- Reproductive Stress: Hormonal imbalance, frequent breeding, or fertility challenges disrupt reproductive efficiency.
- Parturition Stress: The birthing process in swine involves physical strain and hormonal fluctuations that can have an impact on the dam.
3. Nutritional Stress
Feed quality and feeding practices are critical.
- Nutritional Stress: Poor-quality feed, contamination, imbalanced nutrients, or abrupt feed changes can compromise digestion, immunity, and overall health.
4. Management-Induced Stress
Everyday practices can unknowingly stress animals.
- Handling Stress:Rough or inconsistent handling during weighing, vaccination, or movement can trigger fear and injuries.
- Vaccination Stress: While necessary, vaccines can cause temporary immune strain and discomfort, and reduced feed intake.
- Weaning Stress: Young piglets face nutritional challenges and social stress when separated from their mother and removed from their regular nursing routine, leading to reduced growth and increased susceptibility to disease.
- Stalking Stress: Constant human presence or intrusive observation can alter natural behavior.
- General Management Stress: Inconsistent or poor hygiene, feeding, or milking routines increase overall stress load.
5. Social & Psychological Stress
Social dynamics and disease status also influence stress.
- Social Stress: Dominance fights, isolation, or social instability can elevate stress hormones.
- Regrouping Stress: Mixing unfamiliar animals disrupts established hierarchies, leading to aggression and anxiety.
- High Stocking Stress: Overcrowding and overstocking are significant stressors that adversely affect physiological balance, resulting in decreased productivity and compromised health.
Phytocee, a natural defense enhancer a reduces stress due to its adaptogenic, immunomodulator and anti-stress property, helps animals to resist all types of stress. Curious how Phytocee offers a natural, safe, and effective way to combat all kinds of stress?
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