The challenge of introducing fresh air into cow living spaces is critical to cooling effectiveness throughout the year. Thanks to new in-barn environmental technology, advances in ventilation strategy, dairies of all sizes around the world are taking a much more active approach to cow cooling. Enter the fresh air injection ventilation strategy.

In nearly all climates and regions, we at VES-Artex have seen significant benefits from fresh air injection, which is the act of forcing fresh air into the barn using fans that either push air into the barn environment, or pull it in. Fresh air injection can be achieved through a variety of strategies, including using positive pressure fans that drive fresh air into a barn environment at a desired rate of speed; exhaust fans that both pull fresh air in, and drive moist, warm air out of the building; and finally circulation fans that deliver that cool, fresh air down to where it’s needed – the cow level.

Historically, dairies relied on natural ventilation to provide air flow, but that strategy does not create an optimal environment for your animals due to inconsistency in intensity, duration, direction of wind or air flow, and other external environmental factors.

Instead, using powered ventilation allows dairies in virtually all climates – from tropical to desert to Midwest – to bring fresh, cool air into the building before directing it down to the cow level.

Getting the air where it needs to be – where the cows are – is achieved using overhead fans that direct that cool air to where the cows are standing, feeding, milking, or lying. In addition to keeping cows cool, these fans also help to keep bedding dry and reduce contaminated air from urine, manure, and other sources.

Furthermore, with tools like VES-Artex DairyBOS, dairy managers now more than ever can take full control over their in-barn ventilation technology. The fully integrated operating system delivers control over fan speed and power to the palm of your hand, while also bringing real-time insights on weather, historical trends, and resource usage. That means during peak heat stress situations, dairies can be more prepared than ever to adjust on the fly, while also having more information than ever before to make timely, accurate decisions on how and when to deliver fresh air into the barn environment.

To learn more about the fresh air injection strategies experts from VES-Artex are implementing with partner dairies around the world, please join our own Dr. Mike Wolf in this webinar recording for a full breakdown of the evolution of fresh air injection strategies in modern dairy facilities.