Cooling lactating dairy cows

In much of the Southeast, chronic heat stress conditions persist for much of the summer and early fall. During heat stress, intake decreases in response to high body temperatures, resulting in decreased milk yield for lactating dairy cows or lower body weight gain for growing replacement heifers. To reduce the degree of heat stress, supplemental evaporative cooling is provided through a combination of sprinklers or misters and fans. Recently a low pressure mister system was introduced that potentially requires less water and can effectively cool cows. UGA animal and dairy scientists tested the system and recorded results. The core body temperature of the cows was similar for both systems. Water usage was 43 percent lower with the low pressure system compared with the high pressure system. These results suggest that a low pressure mister system can be used to effectively cool cows and reduces the volume of water required for supplemental cooling.