Throughout the country, fans are running at maximum speed to help keep cows cool and comfortable. However, the non-stop heat of summer also has electric bills soaring.
According to Donna Amaral-Philips, Dairy Extension Educator at the University of Kentucky, ventilation systems can account for a large portion of a farms energy bill. In fact, some ventilation systems – particularly mechanical systems - can account for 20%-25% of a farms total energy usage.
As energy prices climb, some farmers are feeling the sting of high electric bills.
“Even with increased costs for electricity, the use of circulation fans for increased air speed are a necessary expense to reduce heat stress and to prevent the associated decreases in milk production, reproductive performance, and performance of future generations,” Amaral-Philips says.
Poor or inadequate fan maintenance can decrease the overall airflow by fans as well as the efficiency of these motors by as much as 40%, thus, increasing electric bills unnecessarily. As little as 1/8 inch of dust on the fan blades can decrease the efficiency of the motor of the fan, Amaral-Philips notes.
“Maintenance on fans should be completed not once, but 3 to 4 times per year, to improve/maintain the efficiency of the fan motors and air speeds within the facility,” she says.
To help improve fan efficiency and lower energy costs, Amaral-Philips recommends the following steps.
- Clean dust from the blades, motor windings, sensors and thermostats.
- Lubricate the fan according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Check the belts for wear and stretch. Belts should ride on top of the pulley. Replace belts as needed.
- Check the electrical cords and wiring for breaks or disintegration of wiring covering.
- Check that the thermostat is operating properly- i.e. comes on at the proper temperature (65ºF)
- Check the angle of each fan such that the air movement of the fan “blows’ to the ground level below the next fan.
