Even though it is rare in Ireland, heat can have an impact on your herd. When the temperatures reach + 20°, cows can become heat stressed.
Heat stress can effect the cows feed intake (especially roughage), effecting their milk volume, fats and protein. In severe cases, it causes lowered fertility, immune function and even death.
Because of the fermentation happening in their rumen, cows body temperatures are warmer to begin with.
Cows can’t sweat like you or I can. They rely on open-mouth panting to help regulate their body temperature. Restlessness and excessive drooling are also signs of Cows dealing with heat stress.
Cows spend more time standing than lying down in the warm weather which can effect fertility and over all health in the cow.
Whether in the paddock or shed. Insuring there is abundant shaded areas for the cows to stand/lie in is vital. Airflow (with fans or open doors) in the shed is important to keep air from feeling hotter than it actually is.
Cows (depending on weight, diet, and milk yield) on average need 50 to 200 litres of water a day. For Dairy Cows, that’s 4 to 5 litres of water for every 1 litre of milk produced.
On hot days, this demand is increased. We recommend making sure all water troughs in roadways, paddock, shed (and by Robotic milking systems if possible) are topped up with water throughout the day.