Perception of Chilean dairy farmers facing the growing heat stress events in the country
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Abstract
Global warming is one of the major problems worldwide that dairy farmers will have to cope with in the coming decades. Dairy cattle can cope with adverse weather conditions by modifying their physiological and behavioral mechanisms to maintain their body temperature within a normal range, but this can affect their performance and welfare. This study aimed to determine the perception of Chilean dairy farmers regarding the phenomena of heat stress. A survey was submitted by email to dairy farmers from different dairy production regions. Dairy producers from 28 communes in Chile answered the survey, covering almost all of the country’s dairy production regions. Most dairy farmers had more than 500 animals, with a predominantly grazing production system and all-year-round calving. The average milk yield was 7,226 L/cow/lactation, with the majority (85%) of the dairy farmers stating that they had some knowledge or ideas about what heat stress is, but only 46% stated that they know how it affects animals. Likewise, 91.6% were open to receiving training on this matter, and 88% were willing to have an app for cell phones, allowing them to monitor the risk of heat stress and provide suggestions to mitigate its impact on their production system. In conclusion, dairy farmers are worried about the effects of heat stress on their businesses and are willing to receive training and practical tools regarding heat stress in dairy cattle.
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