"Ducted mist cooling," a summer heat countermeasure for dairy cattle

Publication date	July 25, 2018
Sector	Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries
Region name	Chugoku-Shikoku（Ehime Prefecture）

Climate change impacts

Data indicates that higher summer temperatures are causing a decline in milk yield and composition, a reduction in reproductive performance, and increased mortality rate in dairy cattle. The use of mist cooling, which is widely used for the purpose of lowering the temperature of the whole cattle barn, may not be sufficient in summer months when interior temperature can exceed 35℃, as cooled air is quickly replaced by air from outside the barn.

Adaptation activity

The ducted mist method developed in Ehime Prefecture in cooperation with other prefectures in Shikoku is a system that can provide effective heat mitigation even in an open cattle barn, as each cow is directly exposed to vaporized water, also the directed airflow carrying the fine mist onto the body of the cow contributes to cooling the cattle.

Fig. Ducted cooling mist process
(Source: Ehime Prefectural Animal Husbandry Experiment Station, "An Effective New Heat Mitigation System for Dairy Cattle Using Ducted Cooling Mist")

Source: Ehime Prefectural Animal Husbandry Experiment Station, "An Effective New Heat Mitigation System for Dairy Cattle Using Ducted Cooling Mist" (from the "Outline of Duct Spraying Device" on Heat Prevention for HP Dairy Cows in Ehime Prefecture)
https://www.pref.ehime.jp/h35124/documents/nyugyunatubate.html

Relevant information: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries "2016 Global Warming Impact Survey Report"
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/seisan/kankyo/ondanka/attach/pdf/report-30.pdf; Ministry of the Environment "STOP THE warming 2017"
http://www.env.go.jp/earth/ondanka/knowledge/Stop2017.pdf; "Global Warming and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries" by Agricultural Environment Change Research Center Global Warming Research Office, National Institute of Agriculture and Food Industry Technology (Agriculture and Research Institute)
https://www.naro.affrc.go.jp/org/niaes/ccaff/english/

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