|
1
|
Plant trees on the western side of the dairy yard
|
Natural shade from trees
|
|
2
|
Set up a sprinkler system at the dairy yard
|
Sprinklers
|
|
3
|
Install a large water trough on the exit side of the dairy
|
Stock water supply
|
|
4
|
Delay afternoon milking until 5 pm during the hot season
|
Milking times
|
|
5
|
On hot days, wet the dairy yard for an hour before cows arrive
|
Sprinklers
|
|
6
|
Sprinkle cows for 30 to 60 minutes while standing in the dairy yard waiting for afternoon milking on hot days or when cows breathing rate exceeds 60 breaths per minute or the THI is above 78
|
Sprinkling Cows
|
|
7
|
In hot weather, provide cows with the highest quality pasture available to graze overnight when they are cooler
|
Summer nutrition program and
further information
|
|
8
|
Increase your cows grain / concentrate feeding rate, feed high-quality forage fibre and higher-quality protein sources, and increase cows intakes of potassium, sodium and magnesium
|
Summer nutrition program and
further information
|
|
9
|
In very hot days, if you don’t have a shade shed, bring the milking herd back to the dairy yard around midday and use the sprinkler system to cool cows - if possible give them access to high quality hay or silage
|
Sprinklers
|
|
10
|
Mate more heifers to compensate for lower in-calf rates expected in milkers during the hot season to help maintain your desired calving pattern
|
Will you mate through summer? and
Mating management and
further information
|
