Effective cooling systems for dairy cattle represent one of the most important welfare investments in regions experiencing hot summers, with proven benefits for health and productivity.
Dairy cows in heat stress conditions experience significant welfare deterioration: reduced feed intake, increased respiratory rate, reduced lying time, and impaired reproductive performance. Chronic heat stress over summer months causes immune suppression, increased mastitis, and metabolic disease. Cooling systems that maintain cows within their thermal comfort zone during hot weather provide direct welfare benefits through reduced physiological stress. The economic case for cooling investment aligns with the welfare case, as welfare-compromised cows produce less milk and require more veterinary intervention.