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Milking parlor performance was evaluated in herringbone, parallel, automated side opening, and rotary milk parlors. The effects of entry time of the first cow, operator walking distance, pre-milking hygiene, and milking routine were determined. Operator walking distance is the highest in automated side opening parlors and lowest in rotary parlors. As the length of herringbone and parallel parlors increases, operator walking distances for double-10 parallel and Herringbone parlors ranged from 762 to 875m/h (2500-2871 ft/h) and double-40 parallel and herringbone parlors ranged from 991 to 1141 m/h (3251-3743 ft/h). Operator walking distance in parallel parlors is 95 to 150 m/h (312- 492 ft/h) less than herringbone parlors. Entrance time of the first cow increases with parlor length. Implementing a premilking hygiene routine increases labor requirements. Using a rotating milking routine will increase the number of cows milked per hour in larger parlors.

The influence of temporary cooling on pregnancy rate and ovarian secretion of cortisol, estradiol and progesterone in Holstein cows was evaluated during the months of June to September. Cows were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups: 1) evaporative cooling, 8 d; 2) evaporative cooling, 16 d; 3) refrigerated air conditioning, 8 d; 4) refrigerated air conditioning, 16 d and 5) controls maintained outdoors with access to shade. Estrus was synchronized by giving two injections of prostaglandin (25 mg). Cows in the cooled groups were placed in box stalls at the time of the second prostaglandin injection, allowing them to be cooled for approximately 3 d prior to breeding. Blood samples were taken on days 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 postbreeding and serum was analyzed for estradiol, cortisol, progesterone and a pregnancy-specific protein. Pregnancy rates as determined by palpation per rectum at 40 to 60 d post breeding were not different between cows in cooled treatments, regardless of duration or type of cooling. Pregnancy rate was higher (P