Effect of Spraying Water on the Body of Holstein Cows under Heat Stress Conditions in Milk Production and Components

Abstract

The aim of the current experiment is to reduce heat stress on imported Holstein cows in central Iraq during the months of August and September. Using 12 Holstein cows multiparous from milk-producing cows raised in the station, divided into three treatments each treatment containing 4 cows. C = cows without spraying (control treatment), T1 = cows sprayed once a day at 1 pm and T2 = cows sprayed twice a day at 11 am and 1 pm. The results of the statistical analysis indicated that there were significant differences between the treatments in the daily milk production during the second, fourth and eighth weeks of the experiment in the twice-daily spraying treatment, which recorded 13.25, 14.50 and 13.00 kg/cow/day, respectively, compared with the control treatment in the second and fourth weeks, where It recorded 9.50 and 11.00 kg/cow/day, respectively, and compared with the T1 treatment in the eighth week, which was 8.50 kg/cow/day, and it was noted that there were no significant differences between the treatments in the total milk production during the trial period. However, there was an arithmetical increase in the spraying treatment, which amounted to 796 kg/cow compared with control treatment which recorded 694 kg/cow, and in the treatment of spraying once a day it amounted to 722.75 kg/cow, and for the milk components that include fat, protein, lactose sugar, ash and density There were no significant differences between the treatments during the experiment period. We conclude from the current experiment that spraying Holstein cows with water twice a day during the period of heat stress had a positive effect in increasing milk production in some weeks of the experiment during the months of August and September.