Environmental Stress in Dairy Cattle

Under high heat and humidity conditions, cows struggle to dispose of metabolic heat as well as heat absorbed from their surroundings. If the cow is unable to dispose of enough heat, her core body temperature will rise. This rising body temperature, due to stressful environmental conditions, triggers a reduction in milk production, appetite, and overall health and an increase in respiration rate and sweating rate. Higher producing cows, which generate more body heat, are more susceptible