With weather forecasters predicting that the blistering heat could continue into October, agricultural officials are advising livestock, poultry and crop farmers to take precaution to protect their investment.Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), said it is important that farmers take the necessary steps to prevent their livestock from becoming dehydrated, and crops from drying up, while President of Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers Association Stephen Layne is calling on industry operators to make any necessary adjustments to their pens to keep the birds cool.“Ensure that the animals are well hydrated, they should not be out of water at this point in time. Make sure that they drink adequate amounts of water. And of course find ways to cool the pens as much as possible.“The heat can cause a number of issues, especially for poultry farmers who have conventional pens, where for instance you might have one square foot per bird. During times of need you have to allow for one and a half square feet per bird. In other words, you can grow less birds than you are accustomed to growing,” he said.
