Infrastructure

Paddocks and laneways

Sprinklers

Providing shade minimises heat gain in cows in the first place, but if they have accumulated heat load, then you need to do all you can to maximise heat loss via evaporation.

Paddock sprays and sprinklers wet the cow’s hair and skin. As the water evaporates, heat is off-loaded from the cow to the surrounding environment. This increases with air movement.

Sprays and sprinklers work best in low humidity conditions.

Paddock sprays & sprinklers

Cows cool themselves by standing in the evaporative zone of paddock sprays rather than directly under the water.

Strengths:

• Cheap capital outlay.
• Effective method of cooling a large number of cows.

Limitations:

• Requires access to reliable water supply.
• Needs to be shifted daily.
• Effective in low humidity areas only.

‘Cow Cooler’ water jet sprinkler.

Centre pivots and travelling irrigators

Centre pivots and travelling irrigators can also provide cows with evaporative cooling on warm to hot days.

This photo was taken in south-east South Australia on a 40°C day with strong northerly winds.

The pivot was orientated east-west.

Note that the majority of the 700-cow herd is standing in the ‘evaporative zone’ south of the sprinklers rather than directly under the sprinklers.