The effects of heat stress on milk production and the grazing behavior of dairy Holstein cows milked by an automatic milking system.

In higher temperature conditions, dairy cows under pasture-based automatic milking systems may experience heat stress, affecting their health and productive performance. In the present study, the relationships between heat stress, measured by the temperature­humidity index (THI), productive traits, and grazing behaviors were evaluated. Cows exhibited an increase in milking frequency and their time standing, decreasing the time grazing, lying, and ruminating as the THI increased on the same day. Additionally, cows had decreased milk production when the THI increased in the previous days. Understanding how cows adjust their grazing behavior to handle changes in the environment allows for the development of management strategies designed to improve animal welfare.