Rising mercury puts lots of stress on dairy animals. Under prevailing conditions milk production has also reduced due to lower feed intake and added heat load. These views were expressed by Dr. B. K. Bansal, Director, Livestock Farms of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University. He said that due to scorching heat proper shelter and housing management, water application, changes in feeding regime, preventive health management etc. are some of the techniques to minimize the effect of thermal stress. Well ventilated shed with proper standing and resting space must be provided to dairy animals. Open end of the shed should be covered with thatched bamboo / jute / hessian curtains. Asbestos or sheet roof may be also being covered with thatch or top of the roof may be painted with white and under surface with dark colour. Shady trees should be planted around the sheds for further cooling. As water is the most essential input in summer special care should be given to this. Water splashing, showering, sprinkling and fogging of water on animals, inside the shed 3-4 times during hottest part of the day (11 AM to 4 PM), again reduces heat load and enhance productivity due to evaporative cooling. These methods are more effective in buffaloes as they are having only one-sixth sweat gland in comparison to cattle. Animals should be wallowed in clean water ponds during extreme hot weather (between 11 AM to 4PM). Wallowing arrangement should be made on the farm itself as making them to walk to and from the pond in hot sun neutralizes beneficial effect of wallowing. On large commercial dairy farms various cooling devices viz. fans, wet curtain or panels, air cooler or conditioners etc. can be used during extreme hot condition. Provision of cooled potable drinking water (In earthen pitchers of the type commonly used in villages) also helps in reducing the heat load. Shaded water troughs in sufficient numbers should be provided to the animals at convenient place.
Proper care and management techniques during summer season will help farmers to maintain healthy animals, more milk production and assured profit from dairy farming.
