How to Prepare Your Flock for Summer’s HEAT

With the predicted return of El Nino later this spring and into summer, meteorologists are predicting that temperatures are going to heat up even more than normal. Those extreme weather patterns can wreak havoc with your flock health, especially for those that breed their ewes in the summer. BioZyme® Inc. offers DuraFerm® Sheep Concept•Aid® HEAT®, a free-choice vitamin and mineral supplement for sheep designed to support reproductive success when temperatures are above 70 degrees.  

DuraFerm is a line of nutritional supplements for sheep and goats that supports optimal digestion and nutrition for maximized performance at every stage of production. DuraFerm products contain AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility. The DuraFerm Sheep Concept•Aid HEAT contains the HEAT technology, a combination of essential oils and garlic, to support animals when heat and insects are a challenge. 

Concept•Aid supports embryo production and conception using organic trace minerals and high levels of vitamin E. Ideally, DuraFerm Sheep Concept•Aid HEAT should be fed any time temperatures reach above 70 degrees, to help keep ewes bred during the hottest time of the year.  

“We used DuraFerm Sheep Concept•Aid HEAT and saw a dramatic change in our ewes, including an 81% A.I. conception rate in the middle of July,” Gretchen Campbell, DuraFerm customer said. 

In addition, garlic is considered a natural insect deterrent, especially important as mosquitoes are carriers of the Cache Valley Virus. Many producers experienced detrimental effects of CVV in their 2022 lamb crop due to the excessive mosquito exposure during breeding and gestation. Aborted fetuses, stillborn or abnormally formed lambs are all signs of CVV. The loss of a healthy lamb is a financial loss for producers. Preventing mosquitos through breeding and the first 60 days of gestation is the most effective way to prevent CVV. The garlic in the HEAT mineral is one way to prevent mosquito bites. We also recommend spraying for mosquitos and keeping standing water away from your females as much as possible. 

Of course, keeping the girls bred through the hottest months of the year is also a challenge, but the combination of HEAT and Amaferm, will help reduce added heat stress. The prebiotic Amaferm is designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying nutrient supply for maximum performance.  

Strengthen your stock with this high-quality vitamin and mineral supplement from DuraFerm. Keep your sheep comfortable, keep them bred and reduce heat stress while on DuraFerm. 

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