hot weather and the production of dairy cattle
Forum: Barn design for hot weather
Good morning, Is it possible to adapt a Holstein barn to hot weather using fans or air conditioning so that the climate does not affect the production?
Thanks!
Good Morning, Are you thinking new barn or converting your existing? What type of barn are you talking about Tie Stall---Free stall ? Whats your mean temperature during the warm months? What elevation ( feet above sea level) is your farm located? How many Holsteins do you milk?
Have a Good Day,---TJ Tooley -- 25 year member ASAE
To reduce house temp of dairy shed ,lot of efforts have been made in India.They are :-
1.Provide Manglore tiles instead of AC sheet or tin sheet.
2.Use layer of dry hay on the roof of dairy shed
3.Use over head sprinkler during 12.30am to 2 pm
4.give cold water shower bath to high yielder before milking( pass the animal under shower before milking)
5.Grow trees between sheds so that air temp goes down.
6.provide ceiling fans in the shed
7..Run the sprinklers between sheds for about one hour every day
Try any and some of above and your bran temp will be taken care
Regards
Dr Chandra
Dear Sir,
Of course it is possble.
Fortunately for me, I have been able to get 6,500 Kg./Lactation in temperatures going up to 53 degrees C.
It does remain a proven fact that with increase in temperature, the possibilities of increasing ventillation with barn design; without any artificial aids; increase. This helps in slashing the recurring expenditure and CoP Milk Production.
The design needs to be adopted to individual situation.
If you give me a specific example / case; I shall be most happy to share a design.
Best Regards,
Captain (Dr.) Kiran Konher
Dairy Assist, India
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Sieving kit for a quick evaluation of feed digestibility directly on farm
Very good suggestions. Here I would like to point out that the electricity shock hazard consideration should not be ignored while deciding electrical wiring in barns. Human electrical shock hazard threshold is 110--120 volts. That is why in USA 110 volts is the supply voltage for domestic installations. Nearly 15 years ago, due to an electric wiring defect, we lost about ten cows by electrocution on a windy rainy storm night. For bovine animal this threshold is said to be about 50 Volts. The British electricity code for Dairies specifies either 24 volts electric supply system like that used in automobile sector, or a double insulated wiring.
Indian standards are silent on this subject.
