Misting and fan cooling of the rest area in a dairy barn

Abstract

This summer study aimed to evaluate the effect on dairy cows, kept in a free stall barn equipped with fans and sprinklers in the feeding area, of the delivery rate of misters in a cooling system in rest areas with different bedding materials. Thirty cows were divided into two homogenous groups according to milk yield and kept in two pens: one had beds with sand (SAMM) while the other had straw (STLM). Each pen was equipped with 2 fans (Ø 70 cm, 0.50 kW) and 2 misters (delivery rate of 11.2 and 22.5 L/h in STLM and SAMM, respectively) in the rest area. Microclimatic parameters, rectal temperature (RT), breathing rate (BR), milk yield, and some milk traits were recorded. Behavioural routines of the cows (standing and lying) were also continuously recorded during the hotter days. During the trial, two mild-moderate heat waves were observed. During these hotter periods, the daily maximum temperature recorded in the rest areas was 28.9 in SAMM and 31.2 in STLM, and the daily maximum THI was 78.2 in SAMM and 81.5 in STLM. In these periods, the cows in SAMM compared with those in STLM showed lower BR (P < 0.05) and greater rest time (10.2 and 7.8 h/day in SAMM and STLM, respectively). The RT did not differ (38.89 ± 0.29 and 38.88 ± 0.33°C in STLM and SAMM r,espectively). In conclusion, our research suggests that the cooling system using fans plus misters with mild wetting in rest areas with sand as bedding materials reduces heat stress and improves cow comfort.

Influence of automatic feeding systems on design and management of dairy farms

“…The cows that rested from 14.6 to 16.4 h of daytime had a milk production from 32.8 to 33.7 kg day -1 . Several authors report the benefit of lying time correspond to cow comfort, health, and level of milk production and suggest about 14 h day -1 as optimal duration (Calegari et al, 2012). From these preliminary results, the behaviour of standing in the cubicles seems inversely correlated to milk production (Belle et al, 2012).…”

On the influence of the alternation of two different cooling systems on dairy cow daily activities

“…Several authors report the benefit of lying time on the cow comfort, health and production and suggest about 14 h/day as optimal duration (Calegari et al, 2012). Consequently, the extension of the lying activity obtained with a different timing of the cooling system could improve the well being of the cows and, therefore, their production and health.…”

“…Another study focused on the comparison among different kind of cooling systems and analysed the differences in thermoregulatory responses of cows, but without any analysis of the behaviour (CorreaCalderon et al, 2004). Further two studies on the efficacy of different cooling systems included cow behaviour analysis and were carried out in free-stall dairy houses with direct access to a large unshaded hard court paddock (Frazzi et al, 2000;Calegari et al, 2012). Specifically, the last one was carried out in a free-stall dairy house equipped with two different kind of cooling systems installed in the feeding alley and in the resting area, respectively.…”

Mitigating heat stress of dairy cows bred in a free-stall barn by sprinkler systems coupled with forced ventilation

“…Honig et al (2012) found that increasing the cooling frequency of high-yielding dairy cows from 5 to 8 sessions a day, improves their performances and welfare. Calegari et al (2012) found that also with the presence of the sprinkler systems installed above the feeding alley, cows suffered a mild-moderate heat stress which was more emphasised in the pen equipped with straw bedded stalls.…”

“…In these studies, the cooling system was proven to be effective in reducing cow heat stress. Analogous studies in zones characterised by hot-humid climate, such as those of the Mediterranean basin, are rather less frequent (Honig et al, 2012;Calegari et al, 2012) and the real benefits of this type of cooling system on cow welfare should be object of further researches, because their efficacy could be negatively affected by high levels of relative humidity. Honig et al (2012) found that increasing the cooling frequency of high-yielding dairy cows from 5 to 8 sessions a day, improves their performances and welfare.…”