Heat Stress Farming Note

Heat stress in dairy cows can occur at temperatures of 22^oC and above. A cow's digestive process creates a lot of heat energy (1.4 kW/day of heat for a cow producing 30 litres/day) which needs to be removed from the body, however their ability to lose heat by sweating is very poor. Heat stress can have several negative effects, including an increase in abortions and a decrease in milk yield and fertility rates.

This Farming Note covers:

• Symptoms of heat stress
• Minimising risk of heat stress
• Ration modifications for hot weather

Issued July 2007.

About Kingshay Farming Notes

Since 1991 Kingshay has been publishing Farming Notes on issues critical to the success of a modern dairy farm business. These briefings provide dairy farmers, large animal vets, farm consultants and other interested parties with the most important and timely information in a concise two-page format. The information contained in our Farming Notes is written and updated by our experts to ensure accuracy and save you time.

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