Abstract
Heat stress (HS) during the dry period of dairy cows in hot and dry conditions compromises the physiological status and mammary gland development of dairy cows, thereby negatively affecting milk component yield in the subsequent lactation. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of cooling Holstein cows under moderate or higher HS conditions (i.e., ambient temperature higher than 30 °C, with a temperature-humidity index of 78.2 units) during the dry period on prepartum physiological status, postpartum productivity, and calf growth. Twenty-four multiparous Holstein cows were divided into two groups: one with a cooling system based on spray and fans under a pen shade (CL, n = 12) and the other not-cooled (NC, n = 12). The cooling system operated 10 h/d (09:00–19:00 h) for 60 d prepartum. During the morning, rectal temperature and respiration frequency were lower in CL cows, but not in the afternoon, which was attributed to higher (P < 0.01) dry matter intake by CL cows. Total serum protein was higher (P < 0.01) in CL cows, but hemoglobin was higher in NC cows (P < 0.01), with no differences in other electrolytes, hormones, hematological components, and metabolites. Milk fat and fat and fat-protein corrected milk were higher (P < 0.05) in CL cows. Female and birth weight trended (P = 0.08) to be higher in CL cows. Cooling cows during the dry period had a limited effect on physiology prepartum but increased postpartum productivity of Holstein cows under hot and dry conditions.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the owner Mr. Mario Magaña Calderón and the staff MVZ. J. Alfredo Jiménez Gómez, Mr. Oscar Octavio Hernández Sandoval, Mr. Isaías Mexicano Cerritos, and IAZ Brisa Lindquist from the Morelia dairy herd for their support and availability during this study; also to Ing. Jesús Alberto Bocanegra from DeLaval for the loan of the fans used in this experiment. Finally, to Baja Electrical and Distribuidora Eléctrica Aveher for their support during the cooling system installation. Financial support for this project was obtained from the Coordinación de Posgrado e Investigación of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Project No. 200/5/C/17/22).
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de Jesús Mejía-Lastra, A., Avendaño-Reyes, L., Macías-Cruz, U. et al. Cooling Holstein cows for 60 days prepartum in summer: effects on prepartum physiology, postpartum productivity, and calf growth. Int J Biometeorol 68, 899–908 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-024-02635-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-024-02635-3