During summer heat stress is one of the factors that have the most significant negative impact on milk production, behaviour, health, and welfare of dairy cows, especially in high productive animals. Heat stress accentuates a negative energy balance, and reduces milk production and reproductive efficiency, leading also to economic losses. Heat stress results from adverse environmental conditions, such as high
temperature and relative humidity, which causes an imbalance between environmental factors and the body temperature of cows in the resting state. There is also a correlation between increased milk production and heat production, which means that dairy cows of high
genetic merit are always more sensitive to the negative aspects resulting from heat stress. Considering the fact that we can expect an increased frequency of extreme weather events in European countries, it is very important to understand the causes of heat stress
in dairy cows to improve milk production, reproductive performance, and welfare.

Download the technical leaflet available here for more information.