Recent hot weather has meant increased exposure for dairy farmers in ADA North East’s region, in the form of media interviews, showcasing the care they take of their animals by keeping them cool during a heat wave.

“While fans and sprinklers in barns may be commonplace to farmers, the average person has never thought about the challenges of managing 1800-pound animals in a heatwave, “said Rick Naczi, ADA North East CEO. “By taking stories like this to consumer media outlets throughout the region, farmers can demonstrate the extraordinary animal care practices they use every day on the farm.”

Two New York dairy farmers have been featured in media stories pitched by ADA North East, explaining how they keep their cows cool during a heat wave.

Emily Ooms of A. Oooms and Sons Dairy in Valatie, was featured on HudsonValley360.com discussing the use of fans and other techniques to keep their 400 cows comfortable in their robotic milking system. ADA North East also sought a third-party expert, Cornell University’s PRO-DAIRY dairy herd health and management specialist Rob Lynch, to reinforce the messaging.

Casey Porter of Porterdale Farm, Adams, N.Y., spoke to InformNNY.com, about their use of more than 100 fans, sprinklers and ventilation to keep their 2,000 milk cows cool.