Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy Farm
Heat stress has been identified as one of the main challenges for dairy production systems, particularly in the context of global warming. This one-year study aimed to evaluate the impact of heat stress on milk yield and composition in a dairy farm located in the Elvas region of Portugal. A pack of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | AgriEngineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/7/231 |
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| author | Daniela Pinto Rute Santos Carolina Maia Ester Bartolomé João Niza-Ribeiro Maria Cara d’ Anjo Mariana Batista Luís Alcino Conceição |
| author_facet | Daniela Pinto Rute Santos Carolina Maia Ester Bartolomé João Niza-Ribeiro Maria Cara d’ Anjo Mariana Batista Luís Alcino Conceição |
| author_sort | Daniela Pinto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Heat stress has been identified as one of the main challenges for dairy production systems, particularly in the context of global warming. This one-year study aimed to evaluate the impact of heat stress on milk yield and composition in a dairy farm located in the Elvas region of Portugal. A pack of electronic sensors was installed in the lactating animal facilities, allowing continuous recording of environmental data (temperature, humidity, ammonia and carbon dioxide). Based on these data, the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was automatically calculated on a daily basis, with the values subsequently aggregated into 7-day moving averages and integrated with milk production records, somatic cell count, and milk fat and protein content. The results indicate a significant influence of THI on both milk yield and composition, particularly on protein and fat content. The relationships between the variables were found to be non-linear, which contrasts with some results described in the literature. These discrepancies may be related to genetic differences between animals, variations in diets, production levels, management conditions, or the statistical models used in previous studies. Dry matter intake proved to be an important predictive variable. These findings reinforce the importance of ensuring animal welfare through continuous environmental monitoring and the implementation of effective heat stress mitigation strategies in the dairy sector. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cb73d0cd490e49eeb290f5d92da74157 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2624-7402 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AgriEngineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-cb73d0cd490e49eeb290f5d92da741572025-08-20T03:13:44ZengMDPI AGAgriEngineering2624-74022025-07-017723110.3390/agriengineering7070231Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy FarmDaniela Pinto0Rute Santos1Carolina Maia2Ester Bartolomé3João Niza-Ribeiro4Maria Cara d’ Anjo5Mariana Batista6Luís Alcino Conceição7Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-110 Portalegre, PortugalPolytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-110 Portalegre, PortugalDiessen Serviços Veterinários, Travessa dos Portugais, n 6, 7000-640 Évora, PortugalDepartamento de Agronomía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agromómica, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, SpainVet-OncoNet, Population Studies Department, ICBAS–Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, PortugalDGAV-Direção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária, Campo Grande 50, 1700-093 Lisboa, PortugalI-MVET Research in Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University-Lisbon University Centre, 1749-024 Lisbon, PortugalPolytechnic Institute of Portalegre, 7300-110 Portalegre, PortugalHeat stress has been identified as one of the main challenges for dairy production systems, particularly in the context of global warming. This one-year study aimed to evaluate the impact of heat stress on milk yield and composition in a dairy farm located in the Elvas region of Portugal. A pack of electronic sensors was installed in the lactating animal facilities, allowing continuous recording of environmental data (temperature, humidity, ammonia and carbon dioxide). Based on these data, the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was automatically calculated on a daily basis, with the values subsequently aggregated into 7-day moving averages and integrated with milk production records, somatic cell count, and milk fat and protein content. The results indicate a significant influence of THI on both milk yield and composition, particularly on protein and fat content. The relationships between the variables were found to be non-linear, which contrasts with some results described in the literature. These discrepancies may be related to genetic differences between animals, variations in diets, production levels, management conditions, or the statistical models used in previous studies. Dry matter intake proved to be an important predictive variable. These findings reinforce the importance of ensuring animal welfare through continuous environmental monitoring and the implementation of effective heat stress mitigation strategies in the dairy sector.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/7/231precision livestock systemssensor-based monitoringdata-driven decision makingheat stressmilk production |
| spellingShingle | Daniela Pinto Rute Santos Carolina Maia Ester Bartolomé João Niza-Ribeiro Maria Cara d’ Anjo Mariana Batista Luís Alcino Conceição Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy Farm AgriEngineering precision livestock systems sensor-based monitoring data-driven decision making heat stress milk production |
| title | Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy Farm |
| title_full | Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy Farm |
| title_fullStr | Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy Farm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy Farm |
| title_short | Digital Environmental Management of Heat Stress Effects on Milk Yield and Composition in a Portuguese Dairy Farm |
| title_sort | digital environmental management of heat stress effects on milk yield and composition in a portuguese dairy farm |
| topic | precision livestock systems sensor-based monitoring data-driven decision making heat stress milk production |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/7/231 |
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