Window shades, avoid sunbeams and provides animals not to be exposed to heat stress. Shelters and window shades are required for open paddocks. Stables should be built in east- west direction. In sweltering weathers, animals can be gotten out of their stables to open areas. The most important point to consider in open paddocks is the sludge bits animals dig. Although it is harmful for animal health; they sometimes want to lay on these sludge bits in sweltering weathers. Therefore, controls should be made carefully especially at night in order to avoid animal losses.
Air Conditioning:
Air conditioning is very important for the avoidance of heat stress. Any kind of smell causing from feed, silage, urine and stool is completely deodorized in a well-ventilated environment. Each ventilator should be 11000 cfm at least in stables. Natural draught is also necessary for animals. Therefore; as the ventilator works, the stable door should be left open. One of the most important point to mention is the milking parlours. Animals are brought here temporarily and ventilators aren’t generally put in these milking parlours. Infact; they are definitely required for the efficiency of animals during milking. If the roof height is lower than the standart stables, then more precautions should be taken for air conditioning.
Animals generally need to consume more water under heat stress. The daily consumption amount increases from 80 L to 120 L. Therefore, water should always be fresh and waterers should always be easily accessible for animals especially after milking. Moreover, daily moss control should be made for waterers. Tiny window shades can be built on the waterers in order to avoid the possible negative effects of direct sunlight.
Fountains provide animals freshness and comfort in sweltering weathers. Using fine-porous caps on fountains, will avoid direct water injection to animals and enable water evaporation. Fountains should be combined with ventilators.
Heat stress is mostly felt at the hottest time of the day. Animals shouldn’t be fed at these times in order not to face with the decreases in dry material consumption and increases in feed spoiling risk. Therefore, feeding time should be in cool weathers especially in summer. And feeders should more frequently be controlled as if they are spoiled or not.
Ration should be reformulated under heat stress. Production should be made by increasing the total energy amount in ration. Additionally; the protein amount should also be increased and the potassium level of the ration should be arranged carefully. Thus, the negative effects of the decreases in feed consumption won’t affect efficiency of animals.
