This summer has been a warm one, with more days than usual in the upper 90s. This is our first summer with all of the robotic milkers up and running, and we couldn’t be happier with how the robotic milkers are handling the heat.
We do a lot on the farm to make sure the cows stay cool and comfortable during the hot, humid summer days. The fans are constantly on in the tunnel-ventilated barn, and the curtains are actually up instead of down.With the barn closed, it’s like the cows are always in an air-conditioned space. The fans offer a 7-9 mph wind speed that helps keep the cows cool. Since the cows are able to be milked whenever they want, they can spend most of their days lounging under the fans in the “air conditioning.”
Having them inside the freestall barns where they are in the shade and out of the hot sun (Did you know cows can get sunburned?) is another way we keep them cool. The cooler they are, the less chance there is for their milk production to decrease, which farmers often see in the summer.
Our cows are the most important part of the farm, and we do everything we can to keep them comfortable and cool.
