Sustainable Management of Dairy Cows in Semi-Arid Summers: Additional Early Nighttime Sprinkler Cooling for Heat Stress Mitigation

Abu Macavoray, Muhammad Afzal Rashid, Hifzul Rahman and Muhammad Qamer Shahid ()
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Abu Macavoray: Department of Livestock Management, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Muhammad Afzal Rashid: Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Hifzul Rahman: Department of Livestock Management, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Muhammad Qamer Shahid: Department of Livestock Management, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 15, 1-10

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different cooling sessions on the performance and welfare of Holstein Friesian cows during the semi-arid summer in Pakistan. Sixteen lactating cows were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: (1) five cooling sessions per day (5CS) and (2) eight cooling sessions (8CS), with two sessions during early nighttime and one in the early morning. Each sprinkler cooling session lasted 1 hour. The trial was conducted over a period of 8 weeks during August and September of 2021. The results showed that cows in the 8CS group produced an average of 2.9 kg/d more milk than those in the 5CS group. Additionally, the respiration rate and total feeding time of cows in the 8CS group was significantly lower than that of the 5CS group. Moreover, the core body temperature of cows was not significantly influenced by addition of extra cooling sessions. In conclusion, the results suggest that the addition of cooling sessions in the early nighttime had a positive effect on milk yield and welfare in Holstein cows during the semi-arid summer season. These findings could have significant implications for the management of dairy cows in similar climatic conditions.

Keywords: heat stress; dairy cows; cooling sessions; milk yield; physiological responses; sprinkler cooling; welfare (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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