Milking Parlor Ventilation Keeps Cows Calm and Productive at the Schitzenhofer Farm
The Schitzenhofer farm in Sperkental, near Rastenfeld in Lower Austria, is known for high-performance Fleckvieh breeding. In summer, heat, humidity and flies left its cows restless in the milking parlor.
To protect both animal wellbeing and milk production, the farm retrofitted its parlor with ClimaBarn milking parlor ventilation. It became the first ClimaBarn project in Austria.
Background
The Schitzenhofer herd ranks among the highest-performing Fleckvieh herds. Each cow produces an average of 10,527 kg of milk per year, with 4.14% fat and 3.52% protein. On several occasions, the herd has also included 100,000-liter cows.
Breeding is just as important on the farm. The family regularly achieves top prices at breeding cattle auctions. In addition, they rear their own calves and young stock and sell breeding calves and pregnant heifers.
Schitzenhofer farm, Sperkental near Rastenfeld, Lower Austria
Approx. 50 Fleckvieh dairy cows, with on-farm calf and young stock rearing
Heat, humidity and flies in the milking parlor made the cows nervous and stressed, which lowers milk yield
Combi 80 with JetFlow and SonicFlow, on Type 2 stainless steel suspension.
Calm cows at milking time, a better climate in the parlor, draft-free conditions for the milkers, improved animal wellbeing and steady milk production
The farm’s strategy combines productivity, animal health and long-lived, high-performing cows. For this reason, anything that affects the wellbeing of the herd also affects its results.
The Challenge
Summer brought the toughest conditions to the milking parlor. Heat and humidity built up inside, and there were too many flies.
As a result, the cows became nervous during milking. They never stood still, as they kept trying to get rid of the flies.
This constant stress affected their wellbeing. It also affected production, since nervous and stressed cows give less milk. The milkers working in the pit, meanwhile, also needed a comfortable climate, but without drafts. Therefore, the farm needed a solution that could serve both zones: cooling the cows and keeping the flies away, while protecting the milkers from drafts.
The Solution
FabricAir presented ClimaBarn as the solution to both the heat and the flies, and planned a system that serves the two zones of the parlor. To do so, the fabric duct system combines the JetFlow and SonicFlow flow models.
In the cow area, the system delivers air at high velocity. Every cow now receives two air jets on its back, which cool the animal and keep the flies away. In the milking pit, by contrast, the milkers receive draft-free air, so they can work in comfort without the airflow aimed at the cows reaching them.
The ducts are made of Combi 80 fabric. FabricAir chose it for the humid conditions inside the parlor, as it prevents mold. The system hangs from a Type 2 stainless steel suspension.
Installed by the Farm Itself
ClimaBarn fits into existing buildings, even those that were never planned for climate control. At the Schitzenhofer farm, the system went into the existing milking parlor as a retrofit.
Thanks to the easy-to-install nature of ClimaBarn, no FabricAir technician needed to be on site, and the family could complete the installation on its own. Even so, our team remained available by phone at all times to support the family during the installation.
For many farms, this shows that improving animal comfort does not necessarily require a new building or a complicated renovation that leaves the cows without housing.
Benefits for Animal Wellbeing and Production
The installation is recent, so the farm will see the full effect over the coming months. Based on the design, the farm expects benefits in four areas:
- Calm cows at milking time: With the flies kept away, the cows no longer need to move constantly. Milking time becomes calm and free of stress.
- Cooler animals: Two air jets on each cow’s back cool the animals directly. As a result, the climate in the parlor improves for the whole herd.
- Steady milk production: Nervous and stressed cows give less milk. By reducing that stress, ClimaBarn milking parlor ventilation helps protect the high yields of the herd.
- Better working conditions: Draft-free air in the pit gives the milkers a more comfortable climate during every milking.
At the Schitzenhofer farm, ClimaBarn supports animal wellbeing, production and the people who milk the herd, all inside an existing parlor.
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FAQs about Dairy Barn Ventilation
With targeted airflow aimed directly at the animals. At the Schitzenhofer farm, each cow receives two air jets on its back while it stands in the milking stall. The airflow cools the cow and keeps the flies away, so the animals stay calm throughout milking.
Related terms: fly control, cow comfort, ventilation in the milking parlor
Yes. ClimaBarn fits into existing buildings, including those never designed for climate control. The Schitzenhofer farm added it to its existing parlor without building anew or undertaking a major renovation.
Related terms: retrofit, existing barns, barn ventilation
In the Schitzenhofer project, FabricAir specified Combi 80 to prevent mold in the humid parlor. The ducts hang from a Type 2 stainless steel suspension.
Related terms: Combi 80, mold prevention, humidity, livestock health
Yes. ClimaBarn can be custom-zoned to deliver the right air speed, volume and pattern for each area. At the Schitzenhofer farm, the system combines the JetFlow and SonicFlow flow models in one fabric duct system. It delivers high-velocity air to the cows and draft-free air to the milkers in the pit.
Related terms: JetFlow, SonicFlow, zoned ventilation, draft-free air, contact our experts
