Proper barn ventilation and supplemental cooling are key components to successful cow comfort and well-being during summertime conditions. Poor ventilation and/or the lack of cow cooling will result in heat stress and unhealthy cows. Heat stress is well known to, among other things, reduce feed intake, which leads to declined milk yields. Without supplemental cooling, milk production in high-producing herds can drop several percentage points after the onset of hot weather, and even more with high humidities.

heat stress; dairy; ventilation; TIV; environmental control

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