Italian farmers take special measures to keep cattle cool

It’s a well-known fact that productivity in the workplace is affected by warm weather, with output apparently dropping to 85% on average when temperatures exceed 33°C. There appears to be a definitive correlation between a hot working environment and a reduction in efficiency, but you might be surprised to learn this link does not apply exclusively to humans!

Farmers in Italy have taken to installing air conditioning and fans in cowsheds and pigsties to keep livestock cool in sweltering summer heat. It has been reported that in the first half of July, cows in the region had produced approximately 50 million litres of milk less than usual because of the uncomfortable conditions.

Chickens were also laying around 10 per cent fewer eggs than normal for the same reason, leaving consumers faced with the prospect of demand outstripping supply. Even pigs are said to have been suffering – with experts suggesting they lose their appetite by as much as 40 per cent when temperatures reach 28°C.

The anti-humidity procedures taken are a desperate bid to restore expected production yields which have unquestionably decreased during this period.

At Andrews Air Conditioning, we specialise in providing clients in the agricultural industry – as well as a comprehensive range of other sectors – with temporary cooling solutions. These are often deployed with the intention of encouraging plant growth, protecting animals or otherwise improving the efficiency of specific cultivation processes. For more information on how we can help you, or to hire air conditioning equipment for an upcoming project, call us today on 0800 211 611.