Act early to reduce dairy cow heat stress

With high temperatures set to continue, dairy farmers need to be alert to the signs of heat stress in their cows. Cows become affected by heat stress when temperatures reach just 20C and it can lead to reduced milk yields as a result of depression of feed intakes. Cows at grass are at particularly high risk of heat stress, says Adam Clay, ruminant manager with Trouw Nutrition GB. “Last year we saw depressions in milk yield, milk quality and pregnancy rates when climatic conditions induced