Free Range Farmers Help Animals Battle The Blazing Heat

WASHINGTON - Greg Glenn is sweating.
 
Today is market day, and he's got to get the produce from Rocklands Farm in Poolesville prepped and ready. Among the items for sale, 14 dozen eggs from his chickens. That's a bit of a drop-off, but still pretty good, Glenn says. He and some farm hands are washing them before putting them in crates for sale.
 
It's common knowledge that household pets can suffer in the heat, but farm animals are no different. In fact, if dairy cows can't stay hydrated, they can simply stop producing milk. Glenn doesn't have dairy cattle, he produces beef. The Black Angus cattle are off in another pasture.
 
Glenn's also got pigs, sheep, a couple of geese and 150 egg-laying hens.
 
"They don't do very well with the heat," he said. "They need plenty of water and plenty of shade."

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