Research on the determination of heat and water vapor emissions of Anatolian water buffaloes under indoor environmental conditions

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the amount of total heat, sensible heat, latent heat, and water vapor emitted by Anatolian water buffaloes in a closed barn located in the Thrace region of Turkey. At the research farm, a group was formed by randomly selecting water buffaloes based on their genetic similarities and lactation numbers. The buffalo group formed was housed in a closed-type barn. The inside and outside air temperatures, relative humidity, and milk yield values of the buffaloes were recorded for 1 year. According to the results of this research, the Anatolian water buffaloes emitted 653 kcal/h AU sensible heat, 351 kcal/h AU latent heat, and 518 g/h AU water vapor during the winter, while they emitted 421 kcal/h AU sensible heat, 536 kcal/h AU latent heat, and 916 g/h AU water vapor during the summer in the barn environment under optimum design conditions. These values can be used to control indoor climatic environmental conditions, design ventilation systems, select structural properties, and determine insulation requirement in terms of animal welfare.