The effect of modified roofing on the milk yield and reproductive performance of heat-stressed dairy cows under hot-humid conditions

Title
The effect of modified roofing on the milk yield and reproductive performance of heat-stressed dairy cows under hot-humid conditions
Publication Date
2010
Author(s)
Khongdee, Sriapa
Sripoon, Somchai
Chousawai, Somchai
Hinch, Geoffrey
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4731-865X
Email: ghinch@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:ghinch
Chaiyabutr, Narongsak
Markvichitr, Kanjana
Vajrabukka, Chanvit
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia
Place of publication
Australia
DOI
10.1111/j.1740-0929.2010.00771.x
UNE publication id
une:7666
Abstract
The objective was to measure the effects of cooling techniques (shade cloth vs. normal roof) on performance and physiology of 16 Friesian crossbred cows (87.5% Holstein Friesian × 12.5% Brahman) located at Sakol Nakhon Livestock Research and Testing Station, Department of Livestock Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (Sakol Nakhon, Thailand). They were divided randomly into two groups of eight. The two groups were used to evaluate the effects of modified roofing (normal roof fitted with woven polypropylene shade cloth) on the subjects' milk yield and reproductive performance under hot humid conditions. Results indicated that the modified roofing offered a more efficient way to minimize heat stress than the normal roof. The difference was sufficient to enable the cows to have a significantly lower mean rectal temperature and respiration rate (38.56°C, 61.97 breaths/min) than that of the cows housed under normal roofing (39.86°C; 85.16 breaths/min). The cows housed under modified roofing produced more milk (P < 0.05) but did not differ significantly in reproductive performance from the cows housed under normal roofing.
Link
Citation
Animal Science Journal, 81(5), p. 606-611
ISSN
1740-0929
1344-3941
Start page
606
End page
611

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