Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stress
Background and Aim: Rising global temperatures and increasing humidity levels are intensifying the risk of heat stress (HS) in high-yielding dairy cattle. The temperature–humidity index (THI) is a standard metric for evaluating thermal stress in livestock. This study aimed to assess seasonal and diu...
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Veterinary World
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Veterinary World |
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| Online Access: | https://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.18/July-2025/22.pdf |
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| author | Dimo Dimov Toncho Penev Ivaylo Marinov |
| author_facet | Dimo Dimov Toncho Penev Ivaylo Marinov |
| author_sort | Dimo Dimov |
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| description | Background and Aim: Rising global temperatures and increasing humidity levels are intensifying the risk of heat stress (HS) in high-yielding dairy cattle. The temperature–humidity index (THI) is a standard metric for evaluating thermal stress in livestock. This study aimed to assess seasonal and diurnal variations in temperature, relative humidity, and THI within a milking parlor and determine their compliance with established thermal comfort thresholds for dairy cows.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a glass-roofed, windowless milking parlor housing 400 Holstein–Friesian cows in Bulgaria. Microclimatic parameters (temperature, relative humidity, and THI) were measured during three daily milking sessions (morning, noon, and evening) at 3 time points (start, middle, and end) over a 12-month period. Measurements were taken inside the parlor and 10 m outside. Statistical analysis involved one-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests using STATISTICA version 10.
Results: Summer and spring exhibited the highest mean and peak temperatures (up to 31.4 °C), while winter showed the highest relative humidity (82.39%). THI values peaked in summer, reaching levels classified as “danger” for dairy cows. Morning milking generally recorded lower temperatures and THI. Seasonal variation significantly influenced all microclimatic indicators (p < 0.001), while milking sequence significantly affected temperature and THI (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: In-parlor thermal conditions, especially during summer, exceeded comfort thresholds and posed a risk for HS. The study underscores the urgent need to revise livestock housing regulations to include THI-specific standards for milking parlors. Incorporating real-time microclimatic monitoring can enhance animal welfare and productivity in dairy systems. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
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| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-4c581bf1797442a0a45bcd1ef3b38dfb2025-08-20T03:13:45ZengVeterinary WorldVeterinary World0972-89882231-09162025-07-011872024203010.14202/vetworld.2025.2024-2030Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stressDimo Dimov0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8649-9508Toncho Penev1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6085-5244Ivaylo Marinov2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3896-8741Department of Ecology and Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000, Bulgaria.Department of Ecology and Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000, Bulgaria.Department of Animal Husbandry, Ruminant Animals and Animal Products Technologies, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000, Bulgaria.Background and Aim: Rising global temperatures and increasing humidity levels are intensifying the risk of heat stress (HS) in high-yielding dairy cattle. The temperature–humidity index (THI) is a standard metric for evaluating thermal stress in livestock. This study aimed to assess seasonal and diurnal variations in temperature, relative humidity, and THI within a milking parlor and determine their compliance with established thermal comfort thresholds for dairy cows. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a glass-roofed, windowless milking parlor housing 400 Holstein–Friesian cows in Bulgaria. Microclimatic parameters (temperature, relative humidity, and THI) were measured during three daily milking sessions (morning, noon, and evening) at 3 time points (start, middle, and end) over a 12-month period. Measurements were taken inside the parlor and 10 m outside. Statistical analysis involved one-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests using STATISTICA version 10. Results: Summer and spring exhibited the highest mean and peak temperatures (up to 31.4 °C), while winter showed the highest relative humidity (82.39%). THI values peaked in summer, reaching levels classified as “danger” for dairy cows. Morning milking generally recorded lower temperatures and THI. Seasonal variation significantly influenced all microclimatic indicators (p < 0.001), while milking sequence significantly affected temperature and THI (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In-parlor thermal conditions, especially during summer, exceeded comfort thresholds and posed a risk for HS. The study underscores the urgent need to revise livestock housing regulations to include THI-specific standards for milking parlors. Incorporating real-time microclimatic monitoring can enhance animal welfare and productivity in dairy systems.https://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.18/July-2025/22.pdfdairy cowsheat stressmicroclimatemilking parlorseasonal variationtemperature–humidity indexthermal comfort |
| spellingShingle | Dimo Dimov Toncho Penev Ivaylo Marinov Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stress Veterinary World dairy cows heat stress microclimate milking parlor seasonal variation temperature–humidity index thermal comfort |
| title | Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stress |
| title_full | Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stress |
| title_fullStr | Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stress |
| title_short | Thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors: Seasonal variations in temperature-humidity index and implications for heat stress |
| title_sort | thermal microclimate assessment in dairy cow milking parlors seasonal variations in temperature humidity index and implications for heat stress |
| topic | dairy cows heat stress microclimate milking parlor seasonal variation temperature–humidity index thermal comfort |
| url | https://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.18/July-2025/22.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dimodimov thermalmicroclimateassessmentindairycowmilkingparlorsseasonalvariationsintemperaturehumidityindexandimplicationsforheatstress AT tonchopenev thermalmicroclimateassessmentindairycowmilkingparlorsseasonalvariationsintemperaturehumidityindexandimplicationsforheatstress AT ivaylomarinov thermalmicroclimateassessmentindairycowmilkingparlorsseasonalvariationsintemperaturehumidityindexandimplicationsforheatstress |