The SVM’s Dairyland Initiative (DI), which delivers research-driven strategies to enhance dairy cow health and productivity, continues to be a resource to dairy farmers around the world.
DI Outreach Specialist Courtney Halbach recently traveled to South Africa to present at an annual dairy farming conference hosted by Dairy Management Consulting. The event, held just outside of Cape Town, brought together veterinarians, nutritionists, and farm managers and owners who raise Holstein cows in the county’s Western Cape. Halbach delivered a presentation about barn ventilation techniques, including optimal metrics to hit when designing ventilation systems and how to create fast moving air in a cow’s resting space.
Halbach also visited 13 dairy farms, ranging from 500 to 5,600 cows, where she tested air speeds and gave recommendations for fan placement to reduce summer heat in barns and milking center holding areas.
“It was a fantastic experience being able to see dairying in a different part of the world and to share resources with dairy farmers, veterinarians, and nutritionists who are progressive and welcoming,” Halbach says. “I learned just as much from the South African dairy industry as I hope they did from my presentation.”