Influence of high temperature on dairy productivity of Ukrainian Schwyz

Abstract

In monitoring studies of recent years, global warming is reported. This is a significant problem for dairy farming in much of Europe, especially in the central and southern regions, as reported by numerous studies. Dairy cattle highly productive are extremely sensitive to hot temperatures; their consequence is health problems, a significant reduction in milk yield and milk quality. Unfortunately, heat stress remains an unrecognized problem for domestic cattle breeding, although the financial losses from its harmful influence in European are quite substantial. The aim of our work was to study the effect of high temperatures on milk yield of cows of Ukrainian Schwitz on one of the complexes of high-tech milk production. At the beginning of the research, we decided to test the hypothesis of increasing hot air temperatures in the warm period of the year compared with the long-term data. Then we studied how the milk of Schwitz breed varies during the hot season, depending on the magnitude of the maximum temperature values. According to the results of the study, it can be noted that the air temperature during the warm period of 2017 tended to increase (+0.6 ° С) in comparison with the long-term data. In August, the air temperature significantly exceeded the long-term data by +3 ° C (td = 2.89, P<0.05). The obtained results testify that in the conditions of the central region of Ukraine in the warm period of the year the probability of occurrence of heat stress in dairy cows is high. In the warm season of 2017, the period during which THI exceeded the comfortable value for dairy cows was 100 days. At the same time, a decrease in productivity per cow in the hot season may amount to 146 kg of milk, and the loss may reach 39.5 EUR / cow. To prevent heat stress in conditions of year-round maintenance of dairy cattle, it is advisable to use active ventilation systems with humidification of air. The relationship between the temperature and milk yield of cows is revealed by an average degree of reliability (r = -0.45, P<0.05). Compared with the most favorable external conditions in May, the cows' milk yield decreased in June by 3.0%, the yield of milk fat by 5.2%, the milk protein content by 3.4% (P<0.001). In July and August, the cows' milk yield decreased by 4.6 and 5.5% (P<0.001), the yield of milk fat decreased by 3.1 and 7.3% (P<0.01-0.001), the yield of milk protein 3.4 and 5.7% (P<0.001). Thus, high temperatures during the summer period contributed to a decrease in milk yield and the main components of milk of the Ukrainian Schwitz, which can lead to tangible financial losses. Молочна худоба надзвичайно чутлива до спекотних температур, наслідком яких є проблеми зі здоров'ям, значне зниження продуктивності молока та його якості. Метою роботи було вивчити вплив високих температур на молочну продуктивність корів швіцької породи. Встановлено, що у теплий період 2017 року температурно-вологісний індекс (ТВІ) перевищував комфортне значення для молочних корів впродовж 100 днів. Це призвело до зниження удою від корови на 146 кг. Збитки склали 39,5 євро на голову. Щоб запобігти тепловому стресу в умовах цілорічного стійлового утримання молочної худоби, доцільно використовувати активні системи вентиляції зі зволоженням повітря.