We all buy milk, but rarely think much about the process of sourcing it. However, for Chris and Craig Zinke, two dairy men in Arizona, this is on top of their minds. In 2015, the two were looking to build a second, new dairy just outside of Phoenix and were exploring innovative ways to increase the milk production of their animals.
This particular region of the country experiences extreme heat. In fact, the region typically gets 92 days of 100-or-more degree weather per year. This excessive heat is a key concern for those involved in dairy because it can cause heat stress in cows and, in extreme cases, death. It can also decrease milk production dramatically, reducing a dairy’s output and profitability.