Ventilation Systems for Adult Dairy Cattle.

Ventilation systems for adult dairy cattle can be divided into natural and mechanical systems. Mechanical systems include tunnel and cross ventilation. Hybrid systems incorporate both mechanical and natural ventilation design elements. All systems need to provide appropriate airspeeds at the stalls, adequate ventilation rates, and a methodology to operate year-round. Typically, mechanical ventilation systems cost double to operate compared with natural systems, and the differences between mechanical systems are modest. Selection of high-efficiency fans and regular maintenance are higher priorities for proper fan operation than the choice between ventilation systems, which can be herd size, location, and owner preference dependent.