Farm Better Off!
By Hydor
We were recently tasked with a project at Martin Hawkins’ farm in Somerset. Martin, a dedicated dairy farmer, asked us to design and supply a new ventilation system for his cow shed. The system was needed for the upcoming summer months to help improve animal welfare and tackle heat stress and milk reduction.
Managing a herd of around 900 dairy cows, Martin faced the imminent September heatwave with a degree of worry, remembering the productivity slump due to heat stress in the past.
Stuart Wilkieson, Technical Sales Engineer at Hydor, supplied 32 HV1250 Three-Phase Hanging Fans. Working alongside Martin’s preferred electrician, the fans were strategically arranged in a staggered pattern, providing the option to power down half of them when necessary, without compromising the ventilation in the entire shed. This was integrated into a new Hydor control panel with two separate zones.
Remarkably, within just two months, this investment has already proven its worth. A nearby farm adjacent to Martin’s, manages a herd of 280 dairy cows, and saw a sharp 15% reduction in milk production during the same heatwave. Martin experienced only a marginal 4% drop in production during the same period, thanks to the implementation of our Hydor fans.
Martin is pleased with his new system, and claims that not only has production been better, but he is relieved to see his cows are generally happier and there are fewer lame cows to treat, suggesting an overall improvement to animal welfare, as well as improved fertility.
This project was quoted for in mid-April this year, and the fans were fully operational by August. Impressed by the impact of the system, Martin is now considering extending this solution to his other cow sheds, hopefully in the coming year.
Here at Hydor we have over 60 years’ experience in the agriculture industry. Whether you need a ventilation solution or custom control panels. We are here to help with all your farm ventilation needs. Find out more at https://hydor.co.uk/
