Coping Measures for Dairy Farms During Cold Wave Weather

Coping Measures for Dairy Farms During Cold Wave Weather

 ——Originally cited from the "China Dairy" magazine.

A cold wave refers to the large-scale invasion of cold air from polar or frigid zones into mid and low latitudes, akin to a tidal surge. During a cold wave attack, temperatures drop sharply, accompanied by strong winds, rain, and snow, which have a severe impact on agricultural production. The primary breed of dairy cows raised in China is the Holstein, known for its tolerance to cold and sensitivity to heat. This characteristic often leads breeders to mistakenly believe that low temperatures have no adverse effects on Holstein cows. However, on the contrary, cold waves not only significantly affect the production performance of dairy cows, but also directly determine whether a dairy farm can operate normally. So, how can dairy farms prevent the impact of cold waves on production?

1. Impact on Dairy Cow Production Performance

Under the influence of winter cold waves, entering a cow barn, one is met with large amounts of fog. This fog condenses into water droplets upon contact with the cold roof, falling inside the barn and onto the cows, easily leading to the occurrence of winter fungal diseases in dairy cows. Low-temperature environments can cause metabolic dysfunction in cows. Prolonged exposure to cold conditions forces the body to enhance metabolism and increase heat production for warmth preservation. This leads to a significant rise in serum levels of adrenaline, glucagon, and aldosterone, while reducing levels of growth hormone and prolactin, thereby inhibiting rumination behavior in cows.

Newborn calves, transitioning from the maternal uterus to the external environment, are not yet fully physiologically adapted to the new surroundings. They have low resistance, poor disease immunity, and weak thermoregulatory ability. The low temperatures brought by cold waves negatively impact calf health. Low temperatures can lead to poor ventilation in calf pens, increased humidity, fostering bacteria and viruses, and raising the risk of disease infection in calves.

2. Impact on Vehicles and Power Facilities

Cold waves causing sudden temperature drops affect the mechanical performance of TMR trucks. Low temperatures lead to difficulties in engine starting, shortened battery life, and decreased performance of hydraulic systems. Low temperatures also cause feed to freeze, affecting its palatability and nutritional value. Cold waves also impact power transmission lines. Manifestations include conductors and ground wires becoming overloaded with ice accumulation, pushing poles and towers to their critical stress limits. Combined with load impacts from ice melting on conductors and ground wires, this can lead to wire breakage, pole/tower collapse, and power supply interruptions, affecting the normal production and operation of the dairy farm. Furthermore, cold wave weather may cause mechanical components of equipment to malfunction or become damaged, such as frozen and burst pipes, pump failures, etc., which also affect the operation of milking equipment.

Dairy Farm Coping Measures

1. Strengthen Insulation and Ventilation

Seal gaps in doors, windows, and walls on the windward side of cow barns, especially calf pens, to prevent drafts. Enhance calf insulation. In addition to heating, immediately after birth in winter, dry the calf using dry sawdust or rough, highly absorbent towels, and transfer it to a clean, dry environment with a temperature of 16–24°C. At this stage, calves can be reared on slatted floors. Bedding for calf slatted floors is best made of wheat straw or rice straw for insulation. This allows urine to pass through the slats and flow into manure channels on the ground, rather than being fully absorbed by the bedding and releasing ammonia into the enclosed space, reducing air pollution. Specially made vests can be used for newborn calves for added warmth, ensuring healthy calf growth without excessive cost.

Maintaining dryness and ventilation in cow barns is more important than maintaining temperature. In winter, minimize washing barn floors with water. Clean manure promptly to keep pens dry and ventilated. Ventilation can be done between 11 AM and 2 PM. Avoid letting cold air blow directly onto the cows, and try to reduce airflow speed during ventilation.

2. Ensure Nutritional Needs of Dairy Cows

Ensure pregnant cows have dry, draft-free, and warm shelter. Guarantee the nutritional needs of cows and prevent them from consuming spoiled or frozen feed. Use constant-temperature heating devices for water troughs in drinking water equipment to ensure water temperature reaches 15–16°C. As cold waves may cause feed supply issues, ensure the supply of protein, minerals, and vitamins, and guarantee the quality of feed consumed by pregnant cows. Avoid feeding damp, moldy, or contaminated feed to prevent adverse effects on the health of the cow and fetus. The energy requirements of pregnant cows increase during cold waves. Appropriately increase the energy content in feed to provide more energy sources, maintaining normal growth and development of the cow and fetus.

3. Pay Attention to Anti-Slip Flooring

Cow walkways, especially those leading to/from exercise yards, communal drinking areas, etc., must have anti-slip treatment. Treat the flooring of milking parlour walkways to increase roughness. Choose anti-slip flooring materials such as anti-slip tiles, rubber mats, or anti-slip coatings.

4. Strengthen Vehicle Maintenance and Ensure Adequate Power Supply

During cold waves, enhance the maintenance and care of TMR trucks to ensure their normal operation. Drive cautiously, pay attention to road safety, and avoid traffic accidents. Ensure the dairy farm has backup energy supplies, such as backup generators or other reliable energy sources, to ensure milking equipment can continue operating during power outages or other energy supply shortages. Implement cold protection measures for milking equipment components like pipes and pumps, e.g., adding insulation materials, using antifreeze, to prevent pipe freezing/bursting or pump failures.