Heat Stress and Milk Production in the South Carolina Coastal Plains

Abstract

A model developed for the South Carolina coastal plains relates hours with temperature-humidity index values above 74 and 80 to summer season daily milk production. When tested on an independent production data set for 1985, the root mean square model error was less than 1.3 kg/d per cow. The model can be used to develop expected summer season dairy production climatologies. Real-time milk production forecasts obtained using daily predicted maximum and minimum temperatures can be used in herd management to reduce effects of heat stress on productivity.