The present research was carried out at Animal Science Institute, in São Paulo and had the objective of evaluating three different types of cooling systems (physical) to reduce thermal stress for milking cows. The tested treatments used artificial shade using a propylene screen 80% direct solar radiation reduction; the same shade using a 0.5 HP fan; and the same shade structure using a 0.5 HP fan with fogging system. Eighteen milking cows were used in the treatments - 12 Holstein cows and 6 brown swiss - equally distributed in the treatments according to their age and milk production level. The parameters analyzed were: milk production and fat content, body temperature, respiratory frequency, and cardiac frequency. Environmental parameters measured were: dry bulb, black globe temperature and relative humidity, collected in each treatment and at a meteorological station at a nearby site. The results showed that the best treatment was the shade using forced ventilation associated with a fogging system.
milk production; environment; shading
