Managing Heat Stress In Dairy Facilities

Abstract

Heat stress can have a dramatic impact on milk production and reproduction on commercial dairies. The impact of heat stress can be minimized by improving water availability, providing shade in the housing areas and holding pen, reducing walking distance, reducing time in the holding pen, improving holding pen ventilation, adding holding pen cooling and exit lane cooling, improving ventilation in cow housing areas (freestalls), cooling close-up cows (3 weeks prior to calving), cooling fresh cows and early lactation cows, and cooling mid and late lactation cows. Dairy cattle can be cooled by providing a cooler environment (cooling the air) or by soaking the cows and evaporating water off her skin surface (cooling the cow). Using evaporative cooling to cool the air works in climates with low relative humidity. Evaporating water off the skin surface of the cow to cool the cow will be beneficial in all climates.