Project Details
Description
Average summer temperature and frequency of extreme heat events is increasing across the UK, with June 2023 the hottest since records began. Even at moderate temperatures, heat stress in dairy cattle is an increasing problem in the UK, negatively affecting production, health, metabolism, and welfare. This project aims to understand more about the risks of heat stress throughout Scotland and Northern England, collaborating with industry partners, Galebreaker and Smarbell.
This project will expand Galebreaker's existing live network of THI monitoring in the region (https://www.thi-live.com/). This will involve using existing SAC and Galebreaker networks to identify suitable farms (housed 365) to receive monitors. We aim to involved farms from across Scotland and northern England, but with a focus on the Digital Dairy Chain region (South West Scotland and Cumbria). All farms receiving monitors will be asked to fill out a form detailing specific shed design aspects which may have an impact on environmental conditions within housing. Farms will be monitored across 2 summer periods and the impacts of heat stress on animal production and health data explored.
From the enlisted farms, SRUC will be collecting detailed data from 12 focal farms farms, including air quality testing, monitoring dry cow housing, and more detail production and health data.
The data collected from these farms will used to create an app in collaboration with Smartbell to go alongside Galebreaker's existing website. Galebreaker will also work with Smartbell to develop a low cost Wi-Fi enabled THI sensor that would be suitable for dairy environments, which will be protyped during the project.
The project partners will work with a thermal modelling company, as sub contractors, to produce a prototype model for predicting THI in dairy sheds of varying specs.
Finally, SRUC will create a farmer survey to explore farmer perceptions of and attitudes towards heat stress, mitigation strategies, and whether they would interact with a predictive tool.
This project will expand Galebreaker's existing live network of THI monitoring in the region (https://www.thi-live.com/). This will involve using existing SAC and Galebreaker networks to identify suitable farms (housed 365) to receive monitors. We aim to involved farms from across Scotland and northern England, but with a focus on the Digital Dairy Chain region (South West Scotland and Cumbria). All farms receiving monitors will be asked to fill out a form detailing specific shed design aspects which may have an impact on environmental conditions within housing. Farms will be monitored across 2 summer periods and the impacts of heat stress on animal production and health data explored.
From the enlisted farms, SRUC will be collecting detailed data from 12 focal farms farms, including air quality testing, monitoring dry cow housing, and more detail production and health data.
The data collected from these farms will used to create an app in collaboration with Smartbell to go alongside Galebreaker's existing website. Galebreaker will also work with Smartbell to develop a low cost Wi-Fi enabled THI sensor that would be suitable for dairy environments, which will be protyped during the project.
The project partners will work with a thermal modelling company, as sub contractors, to produce a prototype model for predicting THI in dairy sheds of varying specs.
Finally, SRUC will create a farmer survey to explore farmer perceptions of and attitudes towards heat stress, mitigation strategies, and whether they would interact with a predictive tool.
| Acronym | A-SHED |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Effective start/end date | 1/01/25 → 30/09/26 |
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