Keeping cows cool

Authors

John F. Smith
Joseph P. Harner
Michael J. Brouk

Keywords

Dairy Day, 2000; Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution; no. 01-166-S; Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service); 861; Dairy; Heat stress; Cooling techniques

Abstract

Heat stress occurs when a dairy cow's internal heat load is greater than her capacity to lose unwanted heat to the environment. Effects of heat stress include: increased respiration rate, increased water intake, increased sweating, decreased dry matter intake, slower rate of feed passage, decreased blood flow to internal organs, decreased milk production, and poor reproductive performance. Lower milk production and reproductive performance cause economic losses to dairy producers. The ordered priorities for reducing heat are: increasing water availability; providing shade in the housing areas (both dry and lactating cows) and holding pen; reducing walking distance to the parlor; reducing time in the holding pen; improving holding pen ventilation and freestall ventilation; adding cooling for the holding pen and exit lane; cooling close-up cows (3 wk before calving); cooling housing for fresh and earlylactation cows; and cooling housing for midand late-lactation cows.; Dairy Day, 2000, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2000;

Recommended Citation

Smith, John F.; Harner, Joseph P.; and Brouk, Michael J. (2000) "Keeping cows cool," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 0: Iss. 2. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.3199