Heat Abatement Techniques in Dairy Housing in the Northeast
Open Access
- Author:
- Tyson, John T.
- Graduate Program:
- Agricultural and Biological Engineering
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- October 14, 2008
- Committee Members:
- Robert Edwin Graves, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Robert Edwin Graves, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor - Keywords:
- cooling
dairy
heat abatement
cow - Abstract:
- The average annual milk production per cow has increased by 424% since the 1940’s. While this increase can be accredited to many factors such as breeding, nutrition, modern management and husbandry, one outcome of this increased production is the increase in metabolic heat production. Therefore today’s cows are more sensitive to heat stress than in the past, and today’s highest producing herds are at highest risk for production losses caused by heat stress. Heat abatement of these high producing cows is a complex issue. Heat stress cannot be measured simply by the ambient temperature alone. Factors such as solar load, humidity, air exchange, air velocity, and duration of the heat event must also be considered when addressing heat stress. The “Heat Abatement System Selection Tool” gives producers, consultants, and designers a logical structure to the decision process to develop a heat abatement system best suited for an individual dairy operation based on the geographic location, weather conditions, type of shelter, and management to be used on that operation. The Heat Abatement Selection Tool was developed based on the best research information and field observations available at this time. The tool uses a three step process to arrive at a heat abatement system best suited to the shelter, assuming shade has been provided by the shelter itself. First air exchange of the shelter is optimized, second convective cooling is optimized, and third, if needed, evaporative cooling is added to the system.