A cow suffering from heat stress will show various symptoms. Initially, she will drink more and breathe faster because her body temperature is rising. She will also stand up more to get rid of the heat.
As a result, she rests 2 to 3 hours less per day than normal. The cow’s resistance decreases because she has to deal with these physical discomforts. Cows can suffer from heat stress for up to 6 weeks. If several cows suffer from heat stress, it can cause a big dip in milk production.
- Cows drink more
- Cows start breathing faster
- Cows stand more
- The immune resistance of cows reduce
- Cows eat less roughage
- Cows suffer from rumen acidosis
- Cows suffer from udder infections
- Cows develop a weaker physical condition
- Cows get claw problems
- Cows have a reduced milk output
- Cows reaching 42°c can be lethal.
The following videos are examples of cows suffering from Symptoms of heat stress.
Effects
The effects of heat stress can last up to 6 weeks.
During those six weeks there is, among other things, reduced fertility. When a cow with heat stress is pregnant, the calf is often smaller and weaker. Their birth weight will be below the norm, they will be more susceptible to diarrhoea, have lower growth rates, lower intake of antibodies and they are at risk of reduced fertility and milk production when older.
- Lower Milk Production
- Reduced feed intake
- Greater chance of rumen acidosis
- Lower daily growth
- Less activity
- Less heat detection
- Claw problems
Prevention
To prevent heat stress in your cows, we work with fans and spraying. We also use roof sprinklers on uninsulated roofs.
Cows enjoy temperatures of up to 22 degrees, but after that the risk of heat stress increases.
If the temperature becomes too high for the cows, we start the ventilators and roof sprinklers, if this applies to your farm. If the temperature continues to rise, the misting system is also started. The misting works with a pulse pause system. The lower the temperature, the longer the pauses between fogging. As the temperature rises, the pauses between misting become shorter and shorter.
We always use a climate computer. This monitors the temperature inside and outside your barn and also the humidity inside the barn.
If the air humidity in the barn gets too high, for example just before a thunderstorm, the misting will automatically switch off. This is set to ensure that your cows and the barn do not get wet.
Under products you can find more information about the pumps and fans we use.
