24 Set Cow Sprinkler System

Keeping cows happy and healthy makes for a productive farm. That’s why Wisconsin Farmers have tried some interesting efforts to make sure their cows stay cool on hot days. The Milking parlor at the Rosy-Lane Holstein Farm in Watertown has showers that spray down on the backs of cows as they are being milked. We completed this project just before the hot weather set in. Now THAT’S what we call a custom shower!

PROJECT DETAILS:

The farm must have water to clean it’s milking parlor three times a day and uses cold well water to chill the milk. The cold water is then recycled and used to water the cows as they prefer to drink warm water rather than cold. Since milk is made up mostly of water, having fresh, clean, clear warm water for animals to drink is critical to animal health and producing high-quality milk.

With two wells on the property they are never out of water. Dan Pauli helped design many elements of the infrastructure on the farm. He was instrumental in creating their shower system to keep cows cool in the summer.

We worked with Rosy-Lane to run recycled water from the plate cooler to the milking parlor, where individual showerheads are installed over each milking stall. Once the last cow is in place, they get 3 brief 20 second showers from the shoulders backwards so as not to spook them or to get dirty water dripping on their udders. Cows tend to eat less when they are hot and uncomfortable which means they will produce less milk. This high-volume low-pressure soaking system allows them to feel refreshed so that they can eat and drink as normal.

It’s an incredible system and we were happy to be a part of it. Pauli Plumbing is a member of the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association (DBA).