Heat Stress Abatement in Dairy Facilities
Hot weather can bring a long list of problems for dairy producers. When cows are heat stressed, they eat less, produce less milk, have reduced immune function and higher SCC, and show reduced fertility. A spike in lameness often follows the hot season. In severe heat waves, cows can even die. In addition to the economic burden, the discomfort from heat stress also reduces animal welfare. UW-Madison Extension provides information on cooling cows housed in barns, where they are shaded from gaining heat from direct sun exposure.
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