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While thoughts have turned to wool sweaters, warm apple cider and football games, the impact of 2001’s dog days of summer lingers on many dairy farms. However, dairy operations that took proactive measures to combat sultry conditions benefited by minimizing milk production losses
and reduced conception rates, along with maintaining animal health.
Historically, Siemers Holsteins, Newton, Wis., beat the heat with fans and sprinklers over headlocks in the freestall barns. While this combination was fairly effective in the freestall barns, Dan Siemers searched for a
way to cool the milking parlor – benefiting both cows and milkers. “I want our milking parlor to be the most comfortable parlor for employees to work,” Siemers remarked.
Simultaneously, the east central Wisconsin dairy was building a special needs parlor. Siemers discovered AEI Environmental Inc. and its cooling system – Cooltech – at World Dairy Expo.
Fans complement mist
In simple terms, the Cooltech system has fans and mister rings. Each fan has a mister ring that is attached to the fan’s front. Mist comes out of each ring. The system also includes a controller – the unit’s “brains.” One controller can handle up to three facilities. The Siemers family decided to install the system in their special needs barn, milking parlor and freestall barn; herd milking parlor and holding area; and first-lactation freestall barn.
The double-8 special needs parlor and accompanying holding area each utilize three 36-inch fans, while the barn has 12 48-inch fans.
They installed three 30-inch, two 36-inch and two 48-inch fans in the double-24 herd milking parlor; and five 48-inch and six 36-inch fans in the accompanying holding area. Forty-eight-inch fans are spaced 36 feet apart in the first-lactation freestall barn. The freestall barn fans/misters are mounted above the
stalls. “We went into this project with the idea we’ll install the Cooltech system in the other two freestall barns if we like what we installed this year,” Siemers stated.
Replace stale air
Pat Schwab of AEI developed fan size, spacing and quantities based on projected wind velocity. “The goal is to move 400 feet of air per minute,” he explained. “By moving air at this velocity, you can move out old air and replace it with new at the appropriate rate.” Schwab wants holding area air to be exchanged every 30 seconds, while freestall barn and milking parlor air should be exchanged every 45 seconds to one minute.
The Cooltech system, through high-pressure pumps and anti-drip nozzles, atomizes water without getting animals, floors, stalls and employees wet. It withstands highly gaseous, corrosive and humid conditions. The system can reduce ambient temperature up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooltech can be interfaced with an alarm, to alert employees of a system malfunction.
AEI installed temperature and humidity probes in different zones of the milking parlors, holding areas and freestall barns. Through these
probes.,the controller monitors temperature and humidity. Siemers’ system is controlled and monitored onsite, but has the option of remote location access.
Fans kick in when the temperature hits 63 degrees Fahrenheit, while the misters operate at 67 degrees Fahrenheit or above. “We set 85% as the maximum humidity level,” Siemers noted. “You don’t want too much moisture in the air. If there’s too much, you’ll end up with a ‘choking factor’ versus a ‘cooling factor’.”
Cows need rest
Siemers continued, “Heat abatement is a big issue on any dairy. The Cooltech system definitely helped us achieve one of our goals – to get the cows to lie down.” Their old cooling system only had misters over the headlocks. So, cows spent too much time standing.
With heat indexes well into the 70s and temperatures and humidity often hitting 90-plus, Wisconsin experienced one of its worst summer hot spells.
“It was the hottest summer we’ve had since moving into our new facility six years ago,” Siemers remarked. Only losing 10 pounds of milk per cow each day at summer’s peak, he said Cooltech significantly helped them reduce their losses.
Siemers admitted that it’s difficult to evaluate their return on investment. “Looking at the big picture, the Cooltech system didn’t cost that much if you save just a couple cows – especially considering today’s value on heifers and cows.” Also, he likes this system because it does not add water to the manure pit. Atomized water stays in the air and never reaches the ground.
Still in the fine-tuning process, Siemers said they’re still learning how to maximize the system’s effectiveness. Striving to do a better job on the outside stalls and headlocks, they’re experimenting with the curtain sidewalls. Based on wind speed and direction, the cows may be better off with the curtains closed in the summer. They may install a means to automatically raise and lower curtains if they determine adjustments need to be made more frequently.
Siemers commented that he is extremely happy with the system’s performance in the milking parlors and holding areas. “I am very pleased with parlor comfort.”
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