Making milk is a lot of work, which is why it is important to provide a comfortable environment for the dairy cow, especially as temperatures rise. In fact, research shows that when cows spends more time resting and ruminating, they are better able to maintain milk production during times of heat stress.

From conventional to robotic milking, we see really no significant differences in the freestall dimensions recommended for comfortable dairy cows. Over the past years, there have been changes in recommended stall length and width.

Undercover videos and social media have brought too much focus to poor cow comfort and issues in the dairy industry. However, the industry’s increasing awareness and proactive approach to maximize cow comfort on dairies is what needs to be highlighted and displayed.

Setting a plan, fan selection, applying soaking, evaporative cooling or misting are all critical processes within your heat-abatement strategy, but let’s not forget the important role of system maintenance in a proper heat-abatement program.

Research shows that cooling late-gestation dry cows leads not only to healthier calves but also offers advantages in long-term reproduction and milking performance of those offspring. Many studies show that heat stress during the dry period reduces a cow’s feed intake and weakens her immunity, resulting in a less efficient transition from gestation to lactation.

A 15-year-old building may seem new to some, but for Mike Larson, general manager at Larson Acres, their barn built in 1998 was in need of some updates. “We’ve learned a lot about cow comfort in 15 years,” Larson says.