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Four tips how to identify and prevent heat stress
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Cows that suffer from heat stress will have reduced feed intake, rumination time, will not lay down and can be panting. This leads to rumen acidosis, a decline in milk production, mastitis and hoof problems. Long term it will also result in reproduction problems. Four animal health tips to identify and prevent heat stress with CowManager:

  • CowManager will alert the dairyman when deviant behavior is being monitored. In case of heat stress, the sensor will measure a higher temperature, a lower rest time and a lower eating and rumination time. This enables the dairyman to react quickly to possible health problems caused by heat stress.
  • Cool your cows and supply fresh water. On hot days, the needed water intake of a cow can increase 50%. So fresh water supply is very important, also for calves. Cool your cows with a good ventilated location or a sprinkler system. When you use water to cool your cows it is important to also use fans to stimulate evaporative cooling. Using water alone could increase humidity levels and have a negative effect. 
  • Adjust your ration. Do not feed during the hottest times of the day but during the evening or feed two times a day. To avoid a drop in rumen pH, the feed should contain a buffer to hold the acidity in the rumen.
  • Continue with measures also after hot days. Create optimal lying comfort and keep the stalls clean for a positive effect on lying behaviour and to avoid infections.

A consequence for dairy farmers, with cows that suffer from heat stress is production loss, more sick cows, higher medical costs and on the longer-term reproduction problems.

Do you want to know more about monitoring your cow’s health status? Our CowManager specialists are more than happy to tell you all about it. Leave you contact details and we will reach out to you.

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