Effect of in-barn temperature-humidity index on the productivity and rumination index of lactating dairy cows
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Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the barn temperaturehumidity index (THI) on milk yield and rumination index (RI) of lactating Holstein Friesian cows at Nutimilk Dairy Farm between July and September 2024. A total of 251 cows in four experimental groups across four barns, including 78 high-yielding cows in barn 1, 57 high-yielding cows in barn 2, 59 postpartum cows in barn 1, and 58 postpartum cows in barn 2, were observed during the experiment. Results showed that the temperature, humidity, and THI exhibited significant variation (P < 0.001) among barns, cow groups, and across different times of day. Average milk yield, RI, and DMI differed significantly (P < 0.001) among the four cow groups. Average milk yield also varied significantly (P < 0.001) across the three milking shifts: highest in the morning (shift 1: 5:00 - 7:30 AM; 12.89 kg/cow), followed by in the evening (shift 3: 9:00 - 11:30 PM; 11.81 kg/cow), and lowest in the afternoon (shift 2: 1:00 - 3:30 PM; 11.23 kg/cow). Correlation analysis indicated that THI was strongly and negatively associated (P < 0.01) with milk yield (r = -0.95), RI (r = -0.89), and DMI (r = -0.57). In brief, these findings demonstrate that THI within the barn has a substantial influence on dairy cow performance, with strong negative correlations observed between THI and milk yield, RI, and DMI during the lactation cycle.
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