Keeping dairy cows cool

The impact of high air temperature on dairy animals, and more especially cows, has often been studied over the years. Researches show that hot temperatures provoke “heat stress” and affect milk production. A 2011 Arizona University study estimates that the economic impact of heat stress on the US dairy industry amounted to an average annual loss of over USD 800 million. To reduce heat stress on dairy cows, some innovations have recently been created.

 

In a news dated July 17, 2017, we mentioned a shirt-like device was designed to keep heat-affected cows cool in Japan.

 

In the University of California, Davis, new technologies are currently tested. They are designed to reduce water by up to 86% and electricity by up to 38% compared to usual cooling methods (such as fans or water sprinklers). Two approaches are studied:

• Conduction cooling, where the bedding area is cooled using heat exchange mats placed where cows lie down. The water is cooled through a Sub-Wet Bulb evaporative chiller which reduces energy consumption.


• Targeted convection cooling, which uses fabric ducting to direct cool air onto the cows while they lie down and when they eat. The air is also cooled with an evaporative cooler.

 

This project is granted by the California Energy Commission. The data collected from these tests will help the researchers’ team determining which technology should be used to pilot at a commercial dairy in a future phase of the project.

 

 

See also: http://bit.ly/NL72-CowsUC