By Bob Burgdorfer

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A blistering heat wave with 100-degree-Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) temperatures and stifling humidity has caused more than 1,000 cattle deaths in Kansas the past few days and forecasts call for the heat to continue through Friday.

Kansas is the third largest cattle producer with nearly 2.1 million head in feedlots. Even healthy cattle eat less when it's so hot and heat-related losses sent cattle prices to a two-month high at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Monday.

"I think it was a combination of heat and high humidity in areas that don't always have that kind of humidity," said Todd Domer, spokesman for the Kansas Livestock Association.

The Kansas Livestock Association is educating producers on how to secure federal compensation for their losses.

Innovative Livestock Services Inc said its three Kansas feedyards lost about 1,000 cattle in recent days due to the higher temperatures and lack of wind. The company operates three Kansas feedyards and two in Nebraska.

"Over the last 72 hours, we have been experiencing some of the most extreme summer weather that can occur in the cattle feeding industry," Andrew Murphy, Innovative Livestock Services' chief operating officer, said in a statement.

"Our losses thus far have been between 1 and 2 percent in our Kansas yards," he said

The 100 F weather is forecast to continue in Kansas through Friday, said Joe Burgio, meteorologist at Telvent DTN.

While other feedlots have reported losses it may be a few days before a statewide tally of losses will be available.

A Dodge City area feedyard lost about 150 head to the heat, the feedyard manager told Reuters.

"The humidity and lack of wind have been the biggest problem," the Dodge City manager said. "I have been doing this since 1985 and this is the worst I can remember for my area."

Cattle futures prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange sped higher on Monday on ideas the heat will reduce beef production.

In addition to the cattle deaths, cattle eat less during hot weather thus reducing beef production. It was that potential drop in beef production that had investors bidding cattle futures higher on Monday.

Chicago's August cattle futures rose 0.850 cent on Monday, or nearly 1 percent, to 93.125 cents per lb, its highest close since mid May.

(Reporting by Bob Burgdorfer; Editing by Alden Bentley)