A new tool has been launched to help farmers monitor heat stress risk, improving cow comfort and productivity.

Galebreaker and Phibro Animal Health have installed internet-enabled temperature and humidity dataloggers in sheds across the UK, the Netherlands, and Belgium. These devices feed real-time data to their new website, THI-Live, providing live in-shed conditions.

Andrew Gardner, technical director at Galebreaker, explains that the website offers key design characteristics of each shed, allowing farmers to understand factors influencing in-shed temperature humidity index (THI) levels and their implications. THI combines temperature and humidity to measure discomfort for animals or people.

“This tool is interactive, featuring a THI calculator that farmers can use to input their data and assess heat stress risk in their cows,” he says.

THI and Heat Stress

“THI combines temperature and humidity to give a measure of how uncomfortable a given situation is for the animals, or people, exposed to it,” says Mr Gardner.

“Heat stress happens when the external temperature and humidity are too high for cows to lose heat through natural body functions like respiration and sweating.

“Although ambient temperature plays a major role in heat stress, humidity is also important, because high humidity prevents any moisture on the cow’s skin from evaporating, stopping them from cooling down.”

Heat stress significantly impacts welfare and productivity. Even mild to moderate heat stress, indicated by a THI score of 58, can impact conception rates and milk yields. This graphic highlights signs and consequences of heat stress.

“Heat-stressed cows can reduce their dry matter intake by up to 30%, affecting milk production. During last year’s heatwave, milk drops of up to 4 litres per cow per day were observed during a Government-funded report led by Galebreaker, a figure that will rise as temperatures increase,” Mr Gardner says. More about the ACCED project can be read here.
 
“The new THI Live tracker adds another valuable solution to empower farmers in managing heat stress, ensuring better welfare and productivity for their livestock,” he adds. This blog explains more about heat stress mitigation techniques.

Visit www.thi-live.com to use the new tool, and click to download our THI Live flyer here.