Poor ventilation in livestock sheds and buildings can lead to poor animal performance and respiratory disease. Not enough ventilation can lead to higher moister levels in the air which carry viruses and bacteria which cause diseases like pneumonia and mastitis.
Too much ventilation can lead to wind chill which can lower the temperature of the livestock which in turn, leads to poor performance and health implications.
Young livestock is especially vulnerable to wind chill because of their underdeveloped coats. Not only can they develop pneumonia and mastitis, but it can also stunt their growth.
Signs Of Inadequate Ventilation Include:
- Open-mouthed breathing by livestock
- Condensation on the roof and the walls
- Pneumonia outbreak
- Ammonia smell – has a strong odour that smells like urine or sweat
- Wet or Damp bedding
- Nasal discharge
- Coughing Animals
How To Improve Ventilation
To improve your ventilation, you may wish to remove walls from your building however, this could expose your livestock to the elements. Driving rain and high winds can mean wet livestock, disease, wet bedding and more. All of which comes at a high cost for you to rectify with the addition of time, stress and effort!
Secure Windbreaks & Secure Econoblinds
Our Windbreaks & Econoblinds protect your buildings and sheds from wind, rain, snow, hail, sun and even birds, while still allowing excellent natural ventilation to occur.
Secure Windbreaks are for those sides which you don’t need any frequent access to, simply hook onto your RSJ’s and tighten the ratchets.
Secure Econoblinds are for those areas where you need frequent access. Similar to the Secure Windbreak but on a track and trolly system. Simply pull down on a rope, and up goes the Econoblind like a concertina blind.
While it may not be at the front of your mind, an effective ventilation system in your sheds and buildings is key to making sure your livestock remains disease-free. The better the ventilation, the healthier the animals.
Improve Cow Performance
For dairy cows to perform their best, they need to maintain a constant body temperature of 38.8 degrees (give or take 0.5 degrees). A cow’s temperature can change when there is a change in air humidity and air temperature.
Heat stressed cows will eat less feed and produce fewer volumes of milk. This could be the difference not only in your cow’s health but also in the farm’s profitability. Letting fresh air into your building is one thing, where it goes and how fast it goes is another.
A well-designed livestock building is fitted with an open ridge cap that allows air to escape from the roof. Without this, hot air carrying moisture, bacteria and viruses can’t escape, resulting in condensation on the roof and even on the walls. Condensation can drip onto your cattle, bedding, feed and drinking water which will then affect your livestock’s health.