Spray cooling as answer to hot summers at Gebr.'s goat farm
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Peters in Schaijk!
By installing mist cooling systems in pig and poultry barns, Peeters has made a name for itself with several farmers at home and abroad.
In goat farming, mist cooling was still relatively unknown, but goat farmer Gebr.
Peters (Marcel & Geert-Jan) from Schaijk wanted to give it a chance.
Together with Hessel, owner of Peeters, he perfected the system and Geert-Jan, one of the owners, likes to tell about the result.
Heat stress causes loss of production
In the sheds at 2 locations of Gebr.
Peters run just under 10,000 goats and the trick is to keep the ladies as vital as possible and thus keep up milk production. “That’s not always easy in the summer,” Geert-Jan says.
“Every goat farmer will recognize that after three heat days of more than 30 degrees, milk production drops significantly.
After five days heat stress we even saw a 15% loss.
After three periods in a short time, milk production no longer comes at the old level.
I started thinking about how I could improve the temperature in the stables could drop and came to Peeters out.
I knew they already had good results in the cattle industry booked with mist cooling.”
Sufficient evidence that the system works
It was decided that the middle of the three stalls would be used as the trial location to take.
Geert-Jan: “That barn became the least cooled by the outside air and thus remained warmest.
In Close collaboration, we have developed a system that really works.
Three years ago we started, and through ever improve, we have now developed the ideal situation. When the temperature in the barn rises above 23 degrees, the mist cooling turns on and the temperature drops immediately.
The difference was immediately apparent: in the middle barn, the the goats walked around calmly, while in the other two stables, which were not initially being cooled, the goats lay down on the ground in order to get as much cooling as possible from the floor.
I saw immediately that it worked; there was no need to I don’t have a study to do on it.”
Investment recouped in one year
A real fear of Geert-Jan was that the goats might get sick from the humid air, but that fear turned out to be unfounded.
“Our animals are more vital and active than ever. Meanwhile, the system has been installed in all the stables of our company.
With mist cooling, I can increase my production in the summer keep the same, after one summer we have already recouped the investment recouped.” Hessel adds: “Because of the size of the mist droplets, goat farmers are eligible for an energy investment allowance (EIA/MIA/VAMIL), which makes it even more interesting to get in.”
Pioneering as a challenge
Geert-Jan, like his goats, is happy with the mist cooling.
“Our staff too, for that matter,” he laughs.
“They too experience a cooler working environment.
By installing a mist curtain, meanwhile, we prevent the dust released by the littering of the lying areas at the milking carousel is coming.
Also Such a fine solution from Peeters.
It also provides a little extra coolness.
We are pleased to have chosen Peeters have chosen, a young and dynamic company.
They think along and find it a challenge to pioneer on this area.
As far as we are concerned, this was a wonderful collaboration which especially makes our goats very happy.”
For more information about mist cooling from Peeters visit our website: www.nevelkoeling.com.
