Effect of cooling Holstein cows during the dry period on postpartum performance under heat stress conditions

Two experiments were completed to determine whether cooling Holstein cows during their 60-day prepartum period improved their immediate physiological status as well as subsequent postpartum performance. In Experiment 1, 38 cows were divided into two pens that were not cooled, or where the cows were moved twice daily to be cooled by soaking until their body was completely wet. Prepartum respiration rate (RR) and rectal temperatures (RT) did not differ between groups, indicating that the cooling system was largely ineffective, which was consistent with differences that only numerically favored the treated group in postpartum productive (milk production, milk fat content and related response variables), and reproductive (services per conception and days open) performance. In Experiment 2, 52 Holstein cows were used over 3 years (n = 24 in year one; n = 12 in year two; n = 16 in year three) and cows were housed in pens either not cooled or cooled with water spray and fans. Cooled cows had lower RR and RT prepartum at 14:00 and 18:00 h vs. non-cooled cows, indicating that the cooling system was effective, and this was consistent with improved productive (milk production, milk fat content and related response variables), and reproductive (services per conception and days open) performance postpartum. In addition, there was a trend (P = 0.10) to higher birth weights of calves from cooled mothers (which was consistent with a numeric difference in Experiment 1). Use of effective cooling systems under hot and dry conditions during the dry period can improve postpartum productive and reproductive performance of Holstein cows.