Practice Abstract - Research and innovation

Automatic climate control system

One of most important factors that affects dairy cow productivity as well as overall body condition is the climate conditions in cowshed, especially the air humidity and temperature levels. In Eastern Europe located farms characterizes with extremely high changes of air temperatures in-between seasons – hot and humid summers (+25 – 300C) and cold and humid winters (-20 - -250C) and in recent cases there are severe changes of environmental temperature during short periods of time. Therefore, in dairy farms, climate control systems are crucial.

In most of modern farms automatic climate control systems are included up until some extent – either it is automatically controlled air ventilators or automatic curtain system or automatic heaters in strategic points of cowshed.

The system reads and analyzes the temperature and average humidity level throughout the cowshed and sends signal to open or close curtains and turn on/off ventilators and heaters. The system equipped in dairy farm (600 dairy cows) also contained automatic daylight saving – it turns lights on or off depending on the outside lighting. This system allows to save additional money for farmer from the lowered electro energy expenses that comes from useless lighting of cowshed.

Nevertheless, some of climate control systems in dairy farms are equipped with water misters next to feeding tables and in waiting area before milking parlor. That allows reduce the negative effects of heat in hot summers.

The automatic climate control in farm showed positive impact on cow welfare and overall wellbeing of cows. With the introduction of cowshed climate control system in farm, the number of cold stress decreased by 75%, but number of heat stress cases decreased by 50%.

Source Project
4D4F Data driven dairy decisions for farmers
Ongoing | 2016-2019
Main funding source
Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
Geographical location
United Kingdom
Project details

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