Performance of lactating dairy cattle housed in a four-row freestall barn equipped with three different cooling systems

Ninety-three multiparous Holstein cows averaging 130 days in milk (DIM) were utilized to evaluate three cooling treatments installed in separate pens of a four-row freestall barn in northeast Kansas during the summer of 1999. Treatments were: 1) a double row of 36-inch fans spaced at 24-ft intervals over the freestalls; 2) a single row of 36-inch fans spaced at 24-ft intervals over the freestalls and over the cow feed line; and 3) a double row of 36-inch fans spaced at 24-ft intervals over the freestalls and a single row over the feed line. Each pen was equipped with identical sprinkler systems over the cow feed line. The 85-day study evaluated milk production, body condition score, respiration rate, and feed intake of cows cooled with the systems. Cows cooled with fans over the freestalls and feed line produced more (P\u3c .05) milk (98.8 vs 93.9 lb/cow/day) than those cooled with fans only over the freestalls. Milk production was similar for cows cooled with fans over the freestalls and feed line, and doubling the number of fans over the freestalls had no apparent advantage. Cows in all treatments consumed similar amounts of feed, and those cooled only by fans over the freestalls tended to gain more body condition than cows in the other two treatments. Estimated increase in net income realized from using these cooling systems ranged from $3,500-6,100/year/pen.; Dairy Day, 1999, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 1999

Performance of lactating dairy cattle housed in two-row freestall barns equipped with three different cooling systems

One hundred fifty-nine Holstein cows (66 primiparous and 93 multiparous) were assigned to each of three different cooling systems installed in two-row freestall barns on a northeast Kansas dairy. One barn was equipped with a row of five 48-inch fans mounted every 40 ft over the freestalls and a row of 10 36-inch fans mounted every 20 ft over the cow feed line. Another barn was equipped with five 48-inch fans mounted over the freestalls. Both of these barns were also equipped with identical sprinkler systems mounted over the feed line. The third barn was equipped with a row of five 48-inch fans mounted over the freestalls. In addition to the sprinklers over the feed line, additional sprinklers were mounted on the back alley of the third barn. Data were collected for an 85- day period to evaluate the three systems under heat stress during the summer of 1999. Cows cooled with these three systems produced similar amounts of milk and consumed nearly equal amounts of feed. Summer heat stress generally reduces milk production 20%, if cooling systems are not installed. Based on this estimated loss, these systems returned over $10,000/pen/year above ownership and operational cost. These results indicated that effective cooling in a two-row freestall barn includes a sprinkler system on the feed line and properly sized and spaced fans over the freestalls.; Dairy Day, 1999, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 1999

Performance of lactating dairy cattle housed in two-row freestall barns equipped with three different cooling systems

One hundred fifty-nine Holstein cows (66 primiparous and 93 multiparous) were assigned to each of three different cooling systems installed in two-row freestall barns on a northeast Kansas dairy. One barn was equipped with a row of five 48-inch fans mounted every 40 ft over the freestalls and a row of 10 36-inch fans mounted every 20 ft over the cow feed line. Another barn was equipped with five 48-inch fans mounted over the freestalls. Both of these barns were also equipped with identical sprinkler systems mounted over the feed line. The third barn was equipped with a row of five 48-inch fans mounted over the freestalls. In addition to the sprinklers over the feed line, additional sprinklers were mounted on the back alley of the third barn. Data were collected for an 85- day period to evaluate the three systems under heat stress during the summer of 1999. Cows cooled with these three systems produced similar amounts of milk and consumed nearly equal amounts of feed. Summer heat stress generally reduces milk production 20%, if cooling systems are not installed. Based on this estimated loss, these systems returned over $10,000/pen/year above ownership and operational cost. These results indicated that effective cooling in a two-row freestall barn includes a sprinkler system on the feed line and properly sized and spaced fans over the freestalls

Effects of Red-Cell Storage Duration on Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Some observational studies have reported that transfusion of red-cell units that have been stored for more than 2 to 3 weeks is associated with serious, even fatal, adverse events. Patients undergoingcardiac surgery may be especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of transfusion

Performance of lactating dairy cattle housed in a four-row freestall barn equipped with three different cooling systems

Ninety-three multiparous Holstein cows averaging 130 days in milk (DIM) were utilized to evaluate three cooling treatments installed in separate pens of a four-row freestall barn in northeast Kansas during the summer of 1999. Treatments were: 1) a double row of 36-inch fans spaced at 24-ft intervals over the freestalls; 2) a single row of 36-inch fans spaced at 24-ft intervals over the freestalls and over the cow feed line; and 3) a double row of 36-inch fans spaced at 24-ft intervals over the freestalls and a single row over the feed line. Each pen was equipped with identical sprinkler systems over the cow feed line. The 85-day study evaluated milk production, body condition score, respiration rate, and feed intake of cows cooled with the systems. Cows cooled with fans over the freestalls and feed line produced more (P< .05) milk (98.8 vs 93.9 lb/cow/day) than those cooled with fans only over the freestalls. Milk production was similar for cows cooled with fans over the freestalls and feed line, and doubling the number of fans over the freestalls had no apparent advantage. Cows in all treatments consumed similar amounts of feed, and those cooled only by fans over the freestalls tended to gain more body condition than cows in the other two treatments. Estimated increase in net income realized from using these cooling systems ranged from $3,500-6,100/year/pen