Animal welfare and health
An integrated approach to improve animal welfare and to mitigate heat stress was implemented on a farm in Spain.
Last updated on March 24th, 2023
Why does it matter?
Heat stress can compromise animal welfare and cow productivity.
How did we solve this?
We designed an integrated action plan to mitigate heat stress and improve animal welfare on a farm in Spain. We implemented an aeration system with rotavators to prevent bacteria production in the cow bedding, which was made out of straw and solid manure. To mitigate heat stress we used a shower system with fans called the Israeli technique. We also used monitoring collars to detect abnormal behaviour in the herd, such as heat stress. As a result, we were able to quickly identify abnormal behaviours and take actions to reduce them. Lastly, we reduced the number of animals on the farm by 10% for a better stocking density (~15 m2 per animal).
After two years of incorporating this approach, animal welfare improved and milk production increased from 29,7 to 31,7L/cow/day. As a result of this project the calf mortality rate also decreased from 11% to 7%.
Opportunities for other farms?
Animal welfare is a global challenge. Every farm can take actions to improve animal welfare standards. This approach may be replicated on all farms that face risk of heat stress during the summertime.
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