Water consumption of an evaporative cooling system in the midwest

Dairy Research, 2009 is known as Dairy Day, 2009Water meters were installed on the evaporative cooling system of a long, low-profile, cross-ventilated dairy in the upper Midwest. The evaporative pad along the west side measured 10 by 350 ft. The water usage per unit surface area of the evaporative pad was 0.29 gallons/hour per square foot of evaporative pad surface area. The total daily water usage per stall averaged 13 gallons with a maximum of 22.7 gallons. Results from this study indicate that peak hourly water usage may be as much as 3 times the average values. The evaporative pad efficiency was 65% between noon and 0800 hours and 79% between midnight and 0400 hours

Tower tank valve flushing system for dairy facitlites

Flushing characteristics of a tower tank valve flushing system with a 12-inch-diameter manual valve were determined. Data were obtained using the outside cow alleys in a fourrow freestall barn. The alleys were 12 ft wide and 420 ft long with a 2% slope. The average flow rate exceeded 8,000 gallons per minute (gpm) when the average head was above 30 ft and the manual valve opened 80 degrees. Opening the valve to 90 degrees increased the flow rate to over 9,700 gpm. The velocity of the flushing wave was 8.5 fpm with a flow depth of 3.5 in. The estimated wave duration or alley contact time was 14.6 sec with a 25-40 sec release time from the flush tank. The flow rate ranged from 5,300 gpm to 7,200 gpm when the average head was between 16 and 28 ft.; Dairy Day, 1998, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 1998

Impact of evaporative pads and cross ventilation on core body temperature and resting time of lactating cows

A trial was conducted to determine the impact of evaporative cooling pads on core body temperature (CBT), time spent lying, and number of lying bouts of Holstein cows housed in cross-ventilated freestall facilities. Despite cool ambient conditions during the trial, cows without evaporative pads tended to have elevated CBT above 102°F for 2.3 more hours per day and elevated CBT above 102.5°F for 0.95 more hours per day than cows with evaporative pads. These trends were evident even though the stocking density of the freestalls was greater in the facility with evaporative pads than in the facility without pads (123 vs. 113%). Lying times and lying bouts did not differ between treatments. Results of this study indicate that CBT tended to be reduced when evaporative pads were used, even under relatively mild ambient conditions.; Dairy Day, 2009, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2009; Dairy Research, 2009 is known as Dairy Day, 200

Ability of low profile cross-ventilated freestall barns to improve environmental conditions for dairy cattle

Recently, there has been interest in constructing mechanical ventilation with evaporative pads to improve the environmental conditions for cows during periods of heat stress. Low profile cross-ventilated freestalls with evaporative pads (LPCV) have become a popular system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how well these LPCV systems improve the temperature-humidity index (THI) under different ambient conditions. As ambient humidity increases, ability of the LPCV to reduce THI is decreased. Producers wishing to construct LPCV barns should carefully evaluate the climate in which they want to construct LPCV structures.; Dairy Day, 2007, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2007; Dairy Research, 2007 is known as Dairy Day, 200

Impact of dairy manure addition on soil nutrients in northeast and south central Kansas

Sixty four percent of the fields (14 of 22) in northeast and south central Kansas would be able to apply dairy manure on a nitrogen basis if the current swine manure application regulations were adopted. Due to high phosphorus levels in some fields, two of the 11 fields in northeast Kansas could not have any manure applied to them. Two other fields in northeast and four fields in south central Kansas would have to limit manure application rates to annual phosphorus required by the crops. Our results indicate minimal accumulation of nitrogen and potassium in the soil profile.; Dairy Day, 2001, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2001

Freestall design and management for cow comfort

The design and management of freestall 4) air or vision. facilities are critical in maintaining cow comfort and high milk production. Dairy produc- Lunge Space ers should be conscious of the factors affecting cow comfort in freestall facilities. These The first reason a freestall may fail is lack factors include: ventilation, water availability, of lunge space. A cow needs forward or side feed availability, stall design, and stall bed- lunge space to maneuver in and out of the stall ding. Dairy producers should strive to have easily. There should be no obstructions in lactating cows standing to be milked; standing front of the stall above the brisket board if to eat; or lying down, chewing her cud, and cows are expected to lunge forward. If stall producing milk. Managers who take this length is limiting, consider wide dividing loops approach will improve both cow comfort and that allow cows to lunge to the side. The milk production.; Dairy Day, 1997, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 1997

Influence of freestall building orientation on comfort of lactating dairy cattle during summer heat stress

A trial was conducted during the summer of 2000 to evaluate the effect of freestall building orientation ”east-west vs. northsouth ” on respiration rates of lactating dairy cows, temperature-humidity index (THI) in the barns, barn temperature, and barn humidity. Differences between ambient and barn temperature and THI were higher in east-west vs. north-south orientated barns. Respiration rates were higher in north-south than in east-west orientated structures. The magnitude of differences between barn and ambient temperatures and THI did not fully explain differences in respiration rates between north-south and east-west orientated barns. Other factors such as solar radiation, airflow, and animal stress may have contributed to the differences in respiration rates.; Dairy Day, 2001, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2001

Manure and lagoon nutrients from dairies using flush systems

Nine primar,y lagoons and solids storage basins were sampled on Kansas dairies using flush systems. These samples were analyzed for nutrient content of wastewater and sand manure. The manure moisture content in the storage basins averaged 81%. The average totals of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash were 3450, 1345, and 1420 mg/L, respectively, for flushing systems. The average totals of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash in the lagoon samples were 816, 337, and 1134 mg/L, respectively, for dairies using recycled water for flushing alleys. These data and previously reported data indicate that lagoon effluent and manure removed from basins must be managed differently between dairies using flush versus scrape systems

Keeping cows cool

Heat stress occurs when a dairy cow’s internal heat load is greater than her capacity to lose unwanted heat to the environment. Effects of heat stress include: increased respiration rate, increased water intake, increased sweating, decreased dry matter intake, slower rate of feed passage, decreased blood flow to internal organs, decreased milk production, and poor reproductive performance. Lower milk production and reproductive performance cause economic losses to dairy producers. The ordered priorities for reducing heat are: increasing water availability; providing shade in the housing areas (both dry and lactating cows) and holding pen; reducing walking distance to the parlor; reducing time in the holding pen; improving holding pen ventilation and freestall ventilation; adding cooling for the holding pen and exit lane; cooling close-up cows (3 wk before calving); cooling housing for fresh and earlylactation cows; and cooling housing for midand late-lactation cows

Impact of soaking cows housed in a tunnel-ventilated, evaporative-cooled barn in Thailand

Ten multiparous lactating Holstein cows were arranged in a replicated 5 x 5 Latin Square design to evaluate the effect of soaking frequency and volume of water per soaking on lactating cows housed in a tunnel-ventilated and evaporative-cooled freestall barn. Rectal temperature, respiration rate, and body surface temperatures were measured every 5 minutes. Treatments were: control (C); soaking every 5 minutes with 0.26 gallons (5L); soaking every 5 minutes with 0.53 gallons (5H); soaking every 10 minutes with 0.26 gallons (10L); or soaking every 10 minutes with 0.53 gallons (10H). Average ambient temperature and humidity were 86.5ºF and 68% outside the barn, and 80.4ºF at 86% inside the barn, respectively. Water having a temperature of 80.6ºF was applied manually from the shoulder to the tail. Treatments were applied after three initial measurements were assessed. Seventeen measurements were made during treatment application and five measurements after the treatments were stopped. Air velocity over the shoulder of the cows was 4 mph. Respiration rate and body surface temperature for all treatments were less than those of the control, except for rear udder surface temperature in the 10L treatment. Rectal temperature for 5L, 5H, and 10H were less than those of the control. Respiration rate for 5L and 5H were less than that of 10L. These data indicate that soaking can be used in combination with tunnel ventilation and evaporative pads to reduce heat stress.; Dairy Day, 2004, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2004