Animal welfare enhances milk production

Around two thirds of the national territory is located in the tropical zone of the planet, where high temperatures and solar radiation predominate, which can exceed the animals’ comfort zone, leading to thermal stress.

Conditions – Lactating cows can begin to suffer heat stress when they are in environments whose temperatures exceed 22ºC and 50% humidity.

Inability – Thermal stress is the condition in which the animal is unable to maintain a balance between the production and loss of body heat, which influences behavior, reproductive and productive parameters, reducing animal well-being.

How to mitigate the effects of heat stress – To control the effects of thermal stress, the producer can use some environmental management strategies and a cooling system. The use of some methods such as natural and artificial shading and the use of systems such as fans, sprinklers and evaporative panels can prove to be efficient for animals that are subjected to heat.

Good handling – According to Frimesa’s milk supply technician, Rodrigo Aparecido Vicente, good environmental management and system cooling are important. “As with temperatures above 26°, the cow is already starting to lose production, we, together with the milk producers, seek to provide maximum comfort and good nutrition.”

Loss – And he adds: “We who work with milk quality are very concerned about genetics and end up forgetting that cows under heat stress end up losing milk production and not getting pregnant and cows that don’t get pregnant don’t give milk.”

Animal welfare – Aiming for animal welfare and greater milk production, producer Gervásio Gunkel looked for alternatives so that dairy cows do not suffer from the heat and do not stop producing milk.

Strategies – Among the main strategies they sought were the adaptation and installation of fans, adaptation of installations in the feeding lines and the use of sprinklers connected to a water pumping system, which, once activated, splash water over the cows with the aim of refreshing them. .

installations – Regarding the installations, Fernanda Gunkel, daughter of Mr. Gervásio, comments: “the main reason that led us to install our sliders and fans was thinking about the present and future of production, as the comfort of the cows brings more production of milk and they maintain pregnancy for longer.”

Flock – Today, Mr. Gervásio’s property has 24 Jersey cows, they feed on feed, pre-dried and green pasture, in addition to remaining in a cool place, with a nebulization cooling system with sprinklers, which generates a result of 350 liters per day. (Copagril Press Office)