The values of the temperature-humidity index and its influence on the performance parameters of dairy cows were monitored on four farms located in the southern part of the central Slovakia during a period of three years. The observed parameters included: the milk yield per cow per day, average milk speed and maximum milk speed. The thermal-humidity index was calculated based on a formula. The individual periods were divided according to the achieved THI. The results of dairy cows with a milk yield of 29 kg to 31 kg show that there is not a decrease in the milk yield per milking if the THI value is lower than 68. It was also found that there was a decrease in the milk yield per dairy cow in the robotic milking parlor for a THI value greater than 72. The influence of a THI value higher than 68 in these dairy cows results in a higher average milk speed, as well as a higher maximum milk speed. These two parameters are not yet in the main area of research interest. This study enriches the area with new knowledge, according to which dairy cows can show thermal stress by increasing the milk speed as well as the maximum milk speed.

Open Access Agricultural Journals published by Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information

The aim of this experiment was to analyse the influence of climatic factors on the thermal performance of separated liquid manure. The samples of organic bedding were collected from the lying area of dairy housing and preparatory store. The measurement of properties of recycled manure solids (RMS) was carried out in laboratory conditions. Samples were examined with determining the temperature effect on the thermal conductivity λ of ’dry‘ separated liquid manure (with a dry matter content of 60%) and ’wet‘ liquid manure (with a dry matter content of 26%), in air temperatures ranging from 0 °C to 40 °C. Subsequently, the thermal resistance of three selected types of cows lying structures was calculated for winter and summer boundary values. Based on the results of thermal conductivity and thermal resistance, it was observed that dry separated liquid manure as an alternative bedding has, in low temperature (up to 5 °C), the most suitable thermal performance if it is maintained in a dry condition (with a dry matter content of 60%). With increasing temperature (above 20 °C) and increasing humidity of bedding (below 26%), thermo-technical properties get worse; however, when comparing the thermal resistance of the cow bed structure with sandwich mattresses with a 50 mm layer of organic bedding and the deep cubicle filled with 200 mm of organic bedding, the thermal resistance of floor structure decreases by 7.6% or 18.4%, respectively. With a proper handling of the recycled organic bedding, it is possible to use its economic advantages.

The main objective of this work was to investigate the influence of environmental factors, including air temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH) and temperature–humidity index (THI), on the difference between rectal temperature (RT) and eye temperature (ET) of dairy cows. The monitoring of these parameters is important for the further possible introduction of digitalization in animal welfare, especially in dairy cattle. The mean calculated difference between rectal temperature and eye temperature (RT–ET) was 1.5 °C. The average value of AT was 16.4 °C, and the average value of RH was 59.2%. The average value of THI was 60.4. The results of the study showed that, for the temperature difference ET-RT, a low degree of correlation was found both with temperature and with the temperature-humidity index THI (R = 0.22; R = 0.23). However, the observed temperature difference of the animal (ET-RT) showed a moderate degree of dependence on the relative humidity of air (R = −0.32). Although the positive correlation coefficient for AT and THI points to the higher criticality of summer measurements, the negative correlation coefficient for RH supports the use of infrared thermography for determining the temperature of animals even in a moister barn environment.

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

This paper is focused on monitoring of the outside temperature and humidity, together with microclimate conditions in a hall in order to investigate the impacts on fattening chickens during the winter period, the litter temperature and its quality, as well as stocking density. The outdoor and indoor temperature was monitored by means of Comet logger R 3120; the litter temperature measurement was performed with use of a non-contact thermometer Raytek Raynger ST. To determine the stocking density, the Guide TP8S thermographic camera was utilised. Stocking density was evaluated on the basis of obtained thermographic images. By monitoring of the litter quality, we achieved an average of 1.6 on the 10 ^th day and 1.5 on the 20 ^th day of fattening. Stock density was 1.1 on the 10 ^th day and 2.1 on the 20 ^th day. Comparing the P values and the significance level α (0.05), we found that the P value was (0.000) < α (0.05), R – 0.622, R ² – 0.39 on the 10 ^th day. This value is a result of comparison of the litter temperature and its influence on its quality. By comparison of stocking density and its impact on the litter quality, the P value was (0.000) < α (0.05), R – 0.916, R ² – 0.84. When comparing the temperature of the litter and its influence on stocking density, the P value (0.000) < α (0.05), R – 0.711, R ² – 0.505. These values indicate that the observed indicators are strongly statistically dependent on the observed days. By comparison of the litter quality on the 10 ^th and 20 ^th day, a statistically significant difference (0.000 <0.05) was observed, as well as by comparison of the litter temperatures on the 10 ^th and 20 ^th day (0.024 <0.05).