Feedlot heat load forecasting review

Summary

​Heat load forecasting within the Australian feedlot industry has evolved over a 15 - 20 year period to become a world class, multi-faceted forecasting service. The model at the centre of the service is elegantly simple in its approach and provides an outstanding framework from which to address heat stress (and more importantly) heat load. The model factors the weather (both predicted and actual), the types of cattle, the feedlot in question and the importance of the management practices involved.

There is a contradiction, however, as on the one hand the industry possesses a world class, sophisticated model, but on the other, the model struggles at times, to accurately predict a heat load event. This review identifies the limitations and shortcomings of the service and explains the inconsistencies that are sometimes evident. It makes recommendations as to how the service might be improved and/or better utilised.