Opportunities with low profile cross ventilated freestall facilities

Abstract

Low profile cross ventilated freestall buildings are one option for dairy cattle housing. These facilities allow producers to control the cows’ environment during all seasons of the year. As a result, an environment similar to the thermoneutral zone of a dairy cow is maintained during both summer and winter, resulting in more stable core body temperatures. Low profile cross ventilated facilities allow buildings to be placed closer to the parlor, thus reducing the time cows are away from feed and water. Other advantages include a smaller overall site footprint than naturally ventilated facilities and less critical orientation because naturally ventilated facilities should be orientated east to west to keep cows in the shade. Other benefits of controlling the cows’ environment include increased milk production and income over feed cost, improved feed efficiency and reproductive performance, reduced lameness and fly control costs, and the ability to control lighting.