{"id":7733,"date":"2025-06-23T06:34:55","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T06:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jodoco.com\/boost-the-health-and-productivity-of-your-ruminants-2\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T15:10:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T15:10:51","slug":"boost-the-health-and-productivity-of-your-ruminants-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jodoco.com\/en\/boost-the-health-and-productivity-of-your-ruminants-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Reducing Heat Stress in Dairy Cattle: How to Support Feed Intake, Rumen Health, and Milk Production"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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As soon as the temperature rises, dairy cows\u2019 behavior changes as well. They eat less, drink more, seek relief from the heat, and spend less time ruminating. This may seem like a logical response to hot weather, but the consequences for milk production can be significant. <\/p>

The biggest challenge lies not only in the heat itself, but especially in the decline in feed intake. Lower dry matter intake means less energy, a greater metabolic burden, and a higher risk of rumen disturbances. Farmers who fail to address this in a timely manner will often see the consequences reflected in milk production, fertility, and animal health. <\/p>

A well-thought-out combination of barn management, feed ration optimization, and targeted nutritional support helps minimize these effects as much as possible.<\/p>

When do we say there is heat stress?<\/h2>

Dairy cows produce a lot of body heat, partly due to fermentation in the rumen. At high temperatures, it becomes increasingly difficult to dissipate that heat. <\/p>

Within the industry, the Temperature Humidity Index (THI) is often used for this purpose. As a general rule: <\/p>