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Innovative and Precise Cooling for the Hardworking Dairy Cow
Edstrom® cooling systems keep your herd comfortable, healthy, and productive – even through the hottest months of the year.
It doesn’t have to be 110°F for heat stress to occur in dairy cows. Studies have found that dairy cows will begin to reduce feed intake and lose body weight at temperatures as low as 79°F. Milk production, reproductive performance and health are all affected. Heat stress affects performance even in seemingly cooler months, as cows struggle to rebound from complications such as rumen acidosis. High yielding cows are most susceptible to heat stress. All of this quickly impacts your profits! The degree of heat stress suffered by the cow will depend on the combination of environmental conditions – air temperature, relative humidity, air movement, and radiation from the sun. Dairy farmers use shades, fans, and ample fresh drinking water to help herds beat the heat, but often shade and ventilation are just not enough.
Dairy farmers are also using soaker systems to provide added cooling effects. Research on dairy cooling has shown that shade in combination with intermittent showering and forced air movement is a very effective method of cooling dairy cows, thereby reducing the production losses experienced during hot, humid weather conditions. Recent research at Kansas State University has shown that the application of water with low-pressure sprinklers cools cows more efficiently than fans alone
Mist and fogging nozzles are often used to cool dairy cows by cooling the air around the cows. Unfortunately, the mist can be easily blown away under windy conditions or when used with fans. If a mist or fog builds up on the cow’s hair, it can trap a layer of air between the skin and the water holding in body heat. In addition, mist and fogging nozzles are often operated at high pressures and require regular maintenance. In comparison, high-capacity Edstrom soaker nozzles produce a coarse droplet spray which penetrates the hair and wets the cow to the hide. Edstrom soaker nozzles operate at reduced water pressure of 10 to 20 psi. The water is then allowed to evaporate, pulling heat from the animal, just like sweating. Air movement across the wet hide, provided by fans, makes this system most efficient. Proper control is critical to ensure that the cow gets soaked to the hide along the topline while not getting wet to the point of having water running off the sides.
Overview:
Signs of heat stress in dairy cattle are noticeable as soon as temperatures near the 70°F mark. Cows start eating less. Milk production falls. Reproductive problems crop up. Overall animal health is jeopardized. Shade and ventilation are simply not enough.
The best solution for conquering heat stress is periodic wetting of the cow’s hide with a coarse droplet shower. High-capacity Edstrom shower nozzles produce a coarse droplet spray which penetrates the hair and wets the cow to the hide. Air movement from fans helps evaporate the water, pulling heat from the animal. And the entire system is run by the Edstrom Controller, an intelligent, customizable device that makes cattle cooling practically effortless.
Benefits:
More Info:
Edstrom offers all the major components needed to economically set up an intermittent showering system on your dairy – including the controller, shower nozzles, electric valves, filters, and pressure reducers.
Cool Sense™ – Motion Cooling System
The fully-automated cooling system for any cow traffic lane. Cool Sense™ is temperature and motion activated to provide a cool shower to cows in transit. The system is triggered only when the dual motion sensors detect an animal is present and the air temperature is above your specified set point.
Smart Mode – Exactly the right amount of cooling at any temperature:
Unique to the market, Smart Mode provides innovative, infinite-stage cooling by increasing shower frequency automatically as temperatures rise. This self-activating technology adjusts the length of time between shower cycles in correspondence to fluctuations in temperature. Smart Mode’s fine-tuning capabilities enable you to stay ahead of increasing heat stress conditions when temperatures rise, and help you conserve water when temperatures fall.
Controllers:
The Edstrom controller monitors the temperature and regulates the shower cycles within the cooling system. It features intuitive controls with flexible programming options to deliver precise cooling. Designed for single or multiple zone cooling, these easy-to-program controllers can be set to operate either in two-stage mode or Smart Mode.
Plumbing:
The Electric Valve/Filter/Pressure Reducer kit contains a 24VAC solenoid valve, flushable filter, 15 psi pressure reducer, and connections and adapters for connecting to rigid PVC supply and distribution lines. It also includes electrical wire to make the connection between the Edstrom Controller and the electric valve.