44. Hot and bothered lactating dairy cows - the how, the why and what we can do to help our cows

Our latest podcast carries on with our heat stress 'theme' from episode 43, where we explored the challenges of hot temperatures on pasture species.

We’ve moved the theme of heat stress across to how heat stress effects dairy cows. We discuss how heat stress bothers cows, and investigate strategies to reduce the effects of summer heat on lactating cows of hot summer temperatures.

Featuring expert heat stress guest podcaster, Lori Grinter, this episode covers a wide range of heat-related topics. Lori first explains how her heat stress studies as part of her Masters undertaken at the University of Kentucky uncovered different cow responses to heat stress, and gave industry new insights into how cows respond to hot weather.

The remainder of the podcast returns very much to a New Zealand-based discussion around how heat stress influences lactating cows, and farm-level strategies that reduce the heat load on our cows.  

If you’re short on time listening to our latest podcast, here’s where to find the various discussion sections:

1.46 Introducing guest heat stress podcaster, Lori Grinter

3.05 University of Kentucky heat stress research completed by Lori

4.12 Cows voluntarily taking a cool shower (we kid you not!)

9.10 The 5 hour time delay between exposure by cows to heat and cows seeking a cooling shower

12.45 “THI” the temperature humidity index defined – knowing when conditions are hotting up

15.15 Signs that our cows show us, when they’re getting hot and bothered

17.00 The rumen heat chamber – high fibre feeds and heat stress

17.20 Rumen acidosis risk, as worsened by heat stress

22.15 Shady dealings – The importance of shade for keeping cows cool

28.55 Exercise – hotting things up, the importance of walking and moving cows during cooler parts of the day

32.20 Cow nutrition – Concepts for keeping cows cooler during hot conditions

40.45 Cool clean stock water – a critical factor when managing hot cows

44.10 Cow wearable technologies – useful things to monitor for early signs of heat stress

47.00 Resources for learning more about hot and bothered cows

Below are the links for Lori Grinter’s publication in the highly esteemed Journal of Dairy Science

https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(19)30151-1/fulltext

https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(22)00677-4/fulltext

(Note that this heat stress study made editors choice!)