Fans 'more common' as farmers try to keep cows cool

Farmers searching for ways to keep their cows cool during more frequent spells of hot weather have said fans and mist sprayers in sheds are becoming more common.

Tim Dixon, 67, from Hungarton in Leicestershire, said his herd's milk production drops by about a quarter during hot weather.

Dixon said the "excessive heat" had meant his herd of 80 cows was spending more time inside because of the weather, whereas usually they would be out grazing as long as possible.

Dixon said each cow was producing six litres of milk less a day on average in the hot weather, down from about 30 litres to 24 litres.

He said: "We found an old bouncy castle fan and fixed that up in the shed where the cows are being milked just to get an airflow through, but I've got some specialists coming out who are going to advise us on fans and misters for the future."

Several heat-related records have been broken this summer, including a new record of nine days so far reaching 34C (93F) or above, surpassing the previous record of eight days in 1976.

Dixon, a third-generation farmer, has lived on his current farm since he was two.

He said the "volatility" of milk prices was a challenge for farmers everywhere and called the price of milk "frustrating" compared to the cost of producing it.

Amy Eggleston, a dairy farmer from Long Clawson, near Melton, said milk production had been impacted "slightly" by warm weather on their farm with a herd of 600 cows.

She said there were "more and more" farmers installing fans and misters to keep their cows cool.

She added: "It seems like the summers are getting hotter, so people are having to think of things like that.

"Our cows would normally be grazing 24/7 but we have brought them inside for some of the day to give them extra access to shade."

Melton Mowbray Market holds a weekly cattle auction and its CEO, Hugh Brown, said the market was looking into "what we can do adapting to what could become the new normal".

He said: "It's a modern shed; it is shaded and there is plenty of access to fresh water.

"Cattle are in a better situation than in most fields and sheds out there."

Paul Ward, a director for RT Dairy Services, near Melton, said advances in technology were helping farmers monitor temperatures inside their sheds.

He said: "I think technology has allowed it to be easier and more affordable to do it.

"The fan system can be thermostat controlled so you can set the thermostat and forget about it.

"I think the young generation with technology are taking it forward."

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