The impact of barriers inside a herringbone milking parlour on efficiency of the ventilation system

The research aimed at establishing the pattern of air movement inside a 2×10 herringbone milking parlour equipped with supply mechanical ventilation. Observations and analyses were made for the streams of air supplied to the parlour, their movement pattern and spread range. Also, temperature and relative air humidity after and before evening milking routine were measured. It has been concluded that barriers installed inside the milking parlour play a significant role in creating unfavourable microclimatic conditions during milking, particularly for the last group of cows. The study points out possible threats to animal welfare and operator’s working conditions. Based on the conducted experiments, the paper defines recommendations for proper design of ventilation systems inside herringbone milking parlours.