Dairy
Ventilation systems for cattle farms
Termotecnica Pericoli offers an efficient ventilation and cooling system for the cattle barn.
The thermal regulation inside a shed used for the cattle breeding is very important for the welfare of the animals.
Strengthened by a long experience in the field, Termotecnica Pericoli has specialized in the design and construction of ventilation and cooling systems that are able to guarantee perfect success in the air conditioning of stables.
A healthy cow, which does not suffer from the heat, manages to stay within optimal productivity parameters. But if the climatic conditions are altered, milk production undergoes a sharp decline. A dairy cow must breathe a large amount of oxygen in order to cover its metabolic needs which allow it to produce milk in optimal quantity and quality.
The main parameter used in the dairy or red meat industry is the Temperature Humidity Index (known above all as THI). It is a measurement system introduced in the early 1990s, which aims to analyze the effects of environmental temperature and relative humidity on animal welfare. In a cattle barn it is a useful and simple way to calculate the risk of heat stress.
Some studies indicate that during the hot season, an average of 3 to 8 liters of milk per day per cow are lost. At the end of the season, it has a significant impact on the company’s balance sheet.
Air circulation undoubtedly has a beneficial effect on cows because it accelerates the evaporation and dispersion of heat by the animals, favoring the removal of the hot and humid air in the shelters.
Characteristics of a ventilation system on a cattle farm
Where natural ventilation is not sufficient to prevent cows from experiencing thermal stress, basket fans for dairy cows must be installed in the barns.
According to Termotecnica Pericoli, a good ventilation system in a cattle barn must have at least 4 characteristics:
- homogeneity;
- inclination;
- prevention;
- maintenance.
As regards the homogeneity of the location, we recommend arranging the air circulation fans at the right distance, covering the entire surface of the cattle farm, in order to ensure the same intensity of ventilation throughout the place.
The inclination of the fan is also very important. The cow needs the air to reach it directly at a suitable speed and with specially designed differentiations between the feeding area and the resting area.
Prevention is an extremely important phase. It is not necessary to wait for heat peaks to turn on the ventilation system. At the temperature of 18°C you can start ventilating the barn to give the cows relief.
The last point concerns maintenance. The ventilation systems for a cattle barn must always be kept in optimal conditions, to ensure perfect functioning and constant performance over the years.
In the open barns Termotecnica Pericoli suggest the use of mechanical ventilation and cooling EOR air circulators or the simpler and cheaper BKF basket fans.
For the most modern closed barns, we have combined artificial ventilation and evaporative cooling systems, as it already widely happens in poultry farming.
This system, defined as “cooling-cross ventilation” or “cooling-tunnel ventilation”, allows to create a uniform flow in a transverse or parallel direction to the barn. It combines the adiabatic cooling produced by the use of cooling panels with the wind-chill effect due to the speed of the air and guarantees high energy efficiency levels in order to minimize costs.
Our team is always available to evaluate priorities and needs so as to provide custom made ventilation and cooling pads for a cattle barn.