There might not have been much summer weather this year, but with temperatures set to rise this week across the UK, farmers can take advantage of a new free online tool to monitor heat stress in cows, developed by Galebreaker and Phibro Animal Health.

The new Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) tool, THI Live, has been launched to help farmers track and mitigate heat stress risk, enhancing cow comfort and productivity.

The two companies collaborated to install internet-enabled temperature and humidity data loggers in sheds across the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, offering farmers up-to-the-minute information on in-barn conditions to assess heat stress risk in their area.

Andrew Gardener, technical director at Galebreaker, said the website includes details about the design characteristics of each shed, enabling farmers to understand which factors affect THI levels and what the implications are.

"Heat stress occurs when high temperatures and humidity levels prevent cows from losing heat naturally through respiration and sweating. Heat-stressed cows may reduce their dry matter intake by up to 30%, leading to lower milk production " he says.

"This tool is also interactive, featuring a THI calculator where farmers can input their own data to determine whether their cows are experiencing heat stress.

"THI combines temperature and humidity to give a measure of how uncomfortable a given situation is for the animals," said Mr Gardner.

He added that the scale ranges from no heat stress at lower values to severe stress at higher values which impacts cow comfort and productivity.

“Even a THI score of 58, which indicates mild to moderate heat stress, can impact conception rates and milk yields."

He highlighted the significant impact heat stress can have on welfare and productivity, noting that during last year's heatwave, milk production dropped by up to four litres per cow per day.

“As we see more extreme weather events, being alert to the signs of heat stress is increasingly important. The new THI Live tracker adds another valuable solution to empower farmers in managing heat stress, ensuring better welfare and productivity for their livestock,” said Mr Gardner.

To use the new tool visit www.thi-live.com.