Dynamic cooling strategy based on individual animal response mitigated heat stress in dairy cows
H. Levit,
S. Pinto,
T. Amon,
E. Gershon,
A. Kleinjan-Elazary,
V. Bloch,
Y.A. Ben Meir,
Y. Portnik,
S. Jacoby,
A. Arnin,
J. Miron,
I. Halachmi
Affiliations
H. Levit
Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) Lab, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization – ARO, Volcani Center, 68 Hamaccabim Road, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel; Department of Animal Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel
S. Pinto
Department of Engineering for Livestock Management, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bio Economy – ATB, Potsdam 14469, Germany; Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Free University Berlin, Berlin 14163, Germany
T. Amon
Department of Engineering for Livestock Management, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bio Economy – ATB, Potsdam 14469, Germany; Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Free University Berlin, Berlin 14163, Germany
E. Gershon
Department of Ruminant Science, Agricultural Research Organization – ARO, Volcani Center, 68 Hamaccabim Road, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel
A. Kleinjan-Elazary
Department of Animal Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Ruminant Science, Agricultural Research Organization – ARO, Volcani Center, 68 Hamaccabim Road, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel
V. Bloch
Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) Lab, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization – ARO, Volcani Center, 68 Hamaccabim Road, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel
Y.A. Ben Meir
Department of Animal Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel; Department of Ruminant Science, Agricultural Research Organization – ARO, Volcani Center, 68 Hamaccabim Road, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel
Y. Portnik
Department of Animal Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel
S. Jacoby
Department of Animal Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel
A. Arnin
Hachaklait Veterinary Service, Caesarea 38900, Israel
J. Miron
Department of Ruminant Science, Agricultural Research Organization – ARO, Volcani Center, 68 Hamaccabim Road, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel
I. Halachmi
Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) Lab, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization – ARO, Volcani Center, 68 Hamaccabim Road, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel; Corresponding author.
Technological progress enables individual cow's temperatures to be measured in real time, using a bolus sensor inserted into the rumen (reticulorumen). However, current cooling systems often work at a constant schedule based on the ambient temperature and not on monitoring the animal itself. This study hypothesized that tailoring the cooling management to the cow's thermal reaction can mitigate heat stress. We propose a dynamic cooling system based on in vivo temperature sensors (boluses). Thus, cooling can be activated as needed and is thus most efficacious. A total of 30 lactating cows were randomly assigned to one of two groups; the groups received two different evaporative cooling regimes. A control group received cooling sessions on a preset time-based schedule, the method commonly used in farms; and an experimental group, which received the sensor-based (SB) cooling regime. Sensor-based was changed weekly according to the cow's reaction, as reflected in the changes in body temperatures from the previous week, as measured by reticulorumen boluses. The two treatment groups of cows had similar milk yields (44.7 kg/d), but those in the experimental group had higher milk fat (3.65 vs 3.43%), higher milk protein (3.23 vs 3.13%), higher energy corrected milk (ECM, 42.84 vs 41.48 kg/d), higher fat corrected milk 4%; (42.76 vs 41.34 kg/d), and shorter heat stress duration (5.03 vs 9.46 h/day) comparing to the control. Dry matter intake was higher in the experimental group. Daily visits to the feed trough were less frequent, with each visit lasting longer. The sensor-based cooling regime may be an effective tool to detect and ease heat stress in high-producing dairy cows during transitional seasons when heat load can become severe in arid and semi-arid zones.
