Cooling tunnels help hot cows to up milk yield, study
UK - Herding cows into special cooling tunnels during hot weather could increase milk yields, says a study, after a heatwave across Britain sent milk production plummeting this summer.
19 September 2006
1 minute read
Cows cooled by an evaporative tunnel produced more milk and ate up to 12 per cent more feed than those placed merely in shade or under sprinklers, says a US-based study published in October's Journal of Dairy Science.
The findings could be important for dairy firms around the world as they look to increase profitability and efficiency.
Heat can have a big impact on cows. Hot temperatures across the UK this summer meant milk production in July and August was among the lowest on record, according to the Milk Development Council.
Cows can begin to suffer from heat stress at temperatures as low as 22°C, according to Terry Smith, a co-author of the journal article. Temperatures were up to 37°C across Britain and much of Western Europe in July.
Source: DairyReporter.com
