Heat Stress in Dairy Cows: Up to 8 Liters Lost Daily Without Prevention
Researchers have presented significant progress with the "Dairy Thermometer", a pivotal tool in alleviating the effects of heat on milk production, ultimately improving herd efficiency. This project is spearheaded by the Austral University of Chile, Aproval, the Dairy Consortium, and DeLaval, with support from the Foundation for Agricultural Innovation (FIA).
Heat stress, intensified by high temperatures and humidity, adversely affects dairy cattle, leading to significant milk production drops. Sources estimate losses equating to 180,000 pesos monthly per cow, if mitigating measures are overlooked. This scenario could equate to a dip of approximately 8 liters of milk per cow each day.
This project, led by Dr. Rodrigo Arias and doctoral student Reinaldo Pinto, developed a mobile application available to dairy producers and consultants. The app enables them to monitor and forecast conditions likely to foster heat stress events.
The app helps assess the severity of heat stress, allowing producers to take preemptive action, such as installing additional shades or increasing watering stations.Technology-driven strategies include more customized local solutions, proactively managing heat for enhanced productivity, economic returns, and animal well-being.
With an increasing climate change escalation, strategies and technologies to manage heat stress using tools such as ventilators and cooling showers in holding areas become critical to maintain farm productivity. Dr. Francisco Lanuza highlights that considering local climate conditions to calibrate existing applications can enhance their effectiveness, promoting better dairy production outcomes.
Enrique Bombal of DeLaval emphasizes fundamental measures like adequate water provision and shading, along with advanced cooling systems designed to reduce heat stress efficiently. Farmers are advised to adapt and tweak strategies that meet their localized farm realities for optimal outcomes in milk production.
