Articles

The rise in temperature is a great problem in dairy farming throughout the world and is very important for the stress of farm animals, decreasing food consumption and milk production. This extension article briefly summarises heat stress, factors that predispose to heat stress, clinical signs and biological effects of heat stress, and measures to mitigate the effects of heat stress to reduce farm productivity losses. This requires a multi-factorial approach to the problem, integrated. Immediate thermal load reduction is achieved by environmental cooling systems (shade, fans and misting) while nutritional management is achieved through providing energy-dense rations, dietary buffers and functional additives. Water management involves facilitating important evaporative cooling and hydration, while genetic selection involves enabling thermotolerant traits, including Bos indicus crossbreeding and SLICK haplotypes. In addition, strategic farm management reduces the number of times the farm needs to be fed, and positions feed troughs and barns to avoid thermal peaks. To conclude, combining these practical strategies is valuable to dairy farmers, as good management practices can make animals better, more productive, and more profitable dairy systems.