Climate change poses new challenges for dairy farms: more frequent heat waves, freeze-thaw cycles, and ventilation systems that may be ill-suited to these conditions. These conditions increase the risk of reduced production, reproductive disorders, and diseases such as mastitis in dairy cows.
This research chair is working to develop practical environmental management solutions to improve cow comfort and health while optimizing farm profitability. The team evaluates the costs and benefits of different configurations (natural or mechanical ventilation), simulates the impacts of heat stress using digital tools and data from pilot farms, and proposes new design solutions. This work aims to provide producers with effective and economically viable strategies to prepare dairy farms for the climate of the future.
