Dairy farmers across the West Country are implementing cooling measures, such as "cow showers" and industrial fans, to help their cattle cope with hotter and drier summers. This investment comes as extreme heat has reportedly led to a reduction in milk production by up to 20%.
Sarah Godwin, a farmer near Chippenham, Wiltshire, has invested £15,000 in a ventilation and sprinkler system. Similarly, Sam Woolford, whose family farms near Swindon, uses industrial-scale fans in his milking parlour to keep cows cool and relaxed.
Professor Nicola Cannon from the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) in Cirencester explained that cows experience stress in high temperatures, which impacts their milk productivity. She also noted that prolonged dry weather is causing grassland to scorch, leading farmers to use winter feed months earlier than anticipated.
Met Office climate scientist Mike Kendon stated that what was once considered extreme weather is increasingly becoming normal. Farmers in Somerset have described current conditions as the worst drought in 50 years, affecting crops.