PSX-B-27 Physiological changes in grazing dairy cows at increasing temperatures under moderate climate conditions

Abstract The continuous direct exposure to solar radiation, coupled with their own metabolic heat production, make grazing dairy cows on pasture particularly susceptible to heat stress. Heat stress can impair performance, animal welfare, and health. The objective of the present study was to identify physiological indicators of heat stress in dairy cows in a pasture-based production system under moderate climate conditions. The study was performed with 24 lactating Holstein dairy cows during summer 2018 and 2019 at the experimental farm of Agroscope (Posieux, Switzerland). Cows grazed full-time using a set stocking system. Climate conditions were recorded every min and were used to calculate the comprehensive climate index (CCI), which reflects the felt temperature in °C. The vaginal temperature (VT) of each cow was measured every 10 minutes with temperature loggers and was used as a physiological indicator of heat stress. Blood and milk were sampled once daily in the afternoon before and during milking, respectively. The concentrations of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) were analyzed in blood plasma and cortisol concentration was analyzed in milk. Data from 12 periods of up to 3 consecutive days with increasing CCI was analyzed. Analysis were performed with the averaged CCI and the maximal VT recorded between 0830 and 1430 h. The VTmax was positively correlated with CCIaverage (P < 0.001). The T4 and T3 concentrations decreased with increasing CCIaverage and VTmax (P < 0.01). Cortisol concentrations were positively correlated with CCIaverage and VTmax (P < 0.05). Changes in VT and hormones showed that cows responded to increasing environmental temperature and may have perceived the rising heat load as a stressor.

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Use of the Comprehensive Climate Index to estimate heat stress response of grazing dairy cows in a temperate climate region

Journal of Dairy Research ◽

10.1017/s0022029921000406 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Rodrigo A. Arias ◽

Cynthia Delgado ◽

Juan Pablo Keim ◽

Mónica Gandarillas

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Milk Production ◽

Thermal Condition ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Climate Index ◽

Climate Region ◽

Stage Of Lactation ◽

Grazing Dairy Cows

Abstract The aim of the study was to assess the effect of the summer thermal environment on physiological responses, behaviour, milk production and its composition on grazing dairy cows in a temperate climate region, according to the stage of lactation. Twenty-nine Holstein Friesian multiparous cows were randomly selected and divided into two groups, according to the days in milk, as mid-lactation (99 to 170 d in milk, n = 15) and late lactation (225 to 311 d in milk, n = 14). The comprehensive climate index (CCI) was used to classify the hour of each day as thermoneutral or heat stress, considering a threshold value of CCI of 20°C. Data were collected for 16 d (summer 2017) and analysed as a completely randomized 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with repeated measurements over time. Vaginal temperature increased with CCI ≥ 20°C. Respiration rates were dependent on the thermal condition, regardless of days in milk. There was an interaction between the time of day and the CCI category for activity and rumination. Grazing activity decreased by 17.6% but lying down, standing, and shaded animals increased by 1.6, 9.8, and 6.3% respectively when CCI ≥ 20°C. Over 80% of cows presented a panting score ≥1. However, milk production and composition (fat, protein, and lactose concentrations as well as somatic cell count) were not affected by the thermal condition, although there was a numerical (non-significant) decrease in afternoon milk protein concentration on days with CCI ≥ 20°C, while urea in milk increased. In conclusion, thermal condition challenged grazing dairy cows' behaviour and physiology independent of the stage of lactation but had little or no effect on milk production.

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Tourism climate conditions in the Western Sudetes (Poland) in relation to UTCI

Geographia Polonica ◽

10.7163/gpol.0205 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 94 (2) ◽

pp. 267-285

Author(s):

Bartłomiej Bartłomiej

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Cold Stress ◽

Climate Index ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Significant Variability ◽

Tourism Climate Index ◽

Tourism Climate ◽

Western Sudetes

The region of Western Sudetes is one of the most popular tourist areas in Poland. Simultaneously, it is also characterized by significant variability in terms of climate conditions. Therefore, the main goal of the analysis was to evaluate variability in heat stress frequency according to UTCI and examine how it corresponds to the results of the tourism-climate index (WSI). The results for both indices, for 1971-2015 data, showed significant differences between the summit and the lower located mountain zones. Analysis on multiannual trends of UTCI classes showed significant increase in the frequency of thermoneutral conditions and decreasing tendency for cold stress categories.

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Effect of core body temperature, time of day, and climate conditions on behavioral patterns of lactating dairy cows experiencing mild to moderate heat stress

Journal of Dairy Science ◽

10.3168/jds.2013-7704 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 98 (1) ◽

pp. 118-127 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

J.D. Allen ◽

L.W. Hall ◽

R.J. Collier ◽

J.F. Smith

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Core Body Temperature ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Behavioral Patterns ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Lactating Dairy Cows ◽

Core Body ◽

Temperature Time

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Evaluation of Tourism-Climate Conditions in the Region of Kłodzko Land (Poland)

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12070907 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 907

Author(s):

Bartłomiej Miszuk

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Climate Index ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Thermal Climate ◽

Tourism Information ◽

Tourism Climate ◽

Favorable Weather ◽

Tourism Attractions ◽

The Impact

Kłodzko Land is one of the most important regions of Poland in terms of tourism and health issues. Numerous tourism attractions and health resorts make the region attractive for both tourist and bathers. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the impact of weather conditions on tourism-related conditions and their changes in the multiannual period. In the analysis, the indices of heat days, the UTCI (Universal Thermal Climate Index) and CTIS (Climate Tourism Information Scheme) tools were used. The research on heat days and the UTCI indicated a significant increase in the heat-stress frequency over the last decades. Simultaneously, the number of weather types related to cold stress has considerably decreased. Such trends were noticed in the entire region, in all the considered hypsometric zones. The rising tendency was also observed for strong and very strong heat stress (UTCI > 32 °C), which negatively affects health problems. The analysis showed that the most extreme thermal and biothermal conditions, in terms of heat stress, occur under southern and eastern anticyclonic circulation. The CTIS analysis showed that favorable weather conditions for most of tourism activities are noticed in the warm half-year. The usefulness of weather conditions for tourism can vary depending on atmospheric circulation.

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Evaluation of Thermal Indices as the Indicators of Heat Stress in Dairy Cows in a Temperate Climate

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11082459 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 2459

Author(s):

Geqi Yan ◽

Hao Li ◽

Zhengxiang Shi

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Systematic Evaluation ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Climate Index ◽

Future Research ◽

Equivalent Temperature ◽

Thermal Indices ◽

Actual Performance ◽

Temperature Index

Many thermal indices (TIs) have been developed to quantify the severity of heat stress in dairy cows. Systematic evaluation of the representative TIs is still lacking, which may cause potential misapplication. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the theoretical and actual performance of the TIs in a temperate climate. The data were collected in freestall barns at a commercial dairy farm. The heat transfer characteristics of the TIs were examined by equivalent air temperature change (ΔTeq). One-way ANOVA and correlation were used to test the relationships between the TIs and the animal-based indicators (i.e., rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR), skin temperature (ST), and eye temperature (ET)). Results showed that the warming effect of the increased relative humidity and the chilling effect of the increased wind speed was the most reflected by the equivalent temperature index (ETI) and the comprehensive climate index (CCI), respectively. Only the equivalent temperature index for cows (ETIC) reflected that warming effect of solar radiation could obviously increase with increasing Ta. The THI and ETIC showed expected relationships with the RT and RR, whereas the CCI and ETIC showed expected relationships with the ST and ET. Moreover, CCI showed a higher correlation with RT (r = 0.672, p < 0.01), ST(r = 0.845, p < 0.01), and ET (r = 0.617, p < 0.01) than other TIs (p < 0.0001). ETIC showed the highest correlation with RR (r = 0.850, p < 0.01). These findings demonstrated that the CCI could be the most promising thermal index to assess heat stress for housed dairy cows. Future research is still needed to develop new TIs tp precisely assess the microclimates in cow buildings.

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Impact of heat stress on conception rate of dairy cows in the moderate climate considering different temperature–humidity index thresholds, periods relative to breeding, and heat load indices

Theriogenology ◽

10.1016/j.theriogenology.2014.01.029 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 81 (8) ◽

pp. 1050-1057 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

L.K. Schüller ◽

O. Burfeind ◽

W. Heuwieser

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Heat Load ◽

Conception Rate ◽

Temperature Humidity Index ◽

Humidity Index ◽

Load Indices ◽

Moderate Climate

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Long-term changes in hazardous heat and cold stress in humans: multi-city study in Poland

International Journal of Biometeorology ◽

10.1007/s00484-020-02069-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Magdalena Kuchcik ◽

Krzysztof Błażejczyk ◽

Agnieszka Halaś

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Cold Stress ◽

Stress Conditions ◽

Climate Index ◽

Temporal And Spatial Distribution ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

North East ◽

Heat And Cold Stress ◽

Winter Time ◽

Summer Time

AbstractSignificant changes in climate variables in the last decades resulted in changes of perceived climate conditions. However, there are only few studies discussing long-lasting changes in bioclimatic conditions. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to present the temporal and spatial distribution of hazardous heat and cold stress conditions in different regions of Poland. Its focus is on long-lasting changes in such conditions in the period 1951–2018. To assess changes in hazardous thermal stress conditions, the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was used. UTCI values at 12 UTC hour (respectively 1 pm winter time, 2 pm summer time) were calculated daily based on air temperature, relative humidity, total cloud cover and wind speed at 24 stations representing the whole area of Poland. We found that the greatest changes were observed in minimum (1.33 °C/10 years) and average (0.52 °C/10 years) UTCI values as well as in cold stress frequency (− 4.00 days per 10 years). The changes vary seasonally and regionally. The greatest increase in UTCImin and decrease in cold stress days were noted from November to March and had the highest values in north-east and east Poland, and also in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The trends in maximum UTCI are much smaller and not always positive. The spatially averaged trend in UTCImax for Poland as a whole was 0.35 °C/10 years and the increase in heat stress days was 0.80 days/10 years. The highest increases in UTCImax and heat stress days were noted in eastern and south-eastern Poland.

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Physiological and production responses when feeding Aspergillus oryzae to dairy cows during short-term, moderate heat stress

Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1357729800054424 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 77 (3) ◽

pp. 485-490 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

K. H. Ominski ◽

K. M. Wittenberg ◽

A. D. Kennedy ◽

S. A. Moshtaghi-Nia

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Aspergillus Oryzae ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Dry Matter Intake ◽

Short Term ◽

Vaginal Temperature ◽

Intense Heat ◽

Production Losses ◽

Temperate Climates

AbstractDairy operations located in many temperate climates experience a decline in milk production associated with short-term moderate heat stress during the summer months. The duration and intensity of this heat stress differs dramatically from the sustained, intense heat experienced in many tropical and subtropical countries where the vast majority of heat stress research has been conducted. As such, many of the strategies utilized to ameliorate production losses associated with sustained, intense heat may not be effective in temperate climates. The objective of this research was to characterize the production responses of lactating dairy cows during and after short-term, moderate heat exposure and, to determine if feeding a fungal culture, Aspergillus oryzae, during a 5-day heat stress period, could effectively alleviate the associated production losses. In a two-period, cross-over design, eight mature lactating cows were given a total mixed ration with or without Aspergillus oryzae. Each 15-day period consisted of a 5-day thermoneutral phase, a 5-day heat stress phase and a 5-day thermoneutral recovery phase. When exposed to moderate heat stress for a 5-day period, cows experienced a rise in vaginal temperature and a decline in dry-matter intake. Following the 5-day heat stress phase, milk yield declined by a factor of 0·09. Supplementation with Aspergillus oryzae had no effect on vaginal temperature, dry-matter intake, water intake, milk yield or milk components. These data indicate that short-term, moderate heat stress, which occurs during the spring and summer months in temperate climates, will significantly decrease production in the lactating cow. Addition of fungal cultures to the diet during the period of imposed heat did not ameliorate production losses associated with this type of heat stress.

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Effect of heat stress on vital signs in high-yield dairy cows

Veterinarski glasnik ◽

10.2298/vetgl1002053v ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 64 (1-2) ◽

pp. 53-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ivan Vujanac ◽

Danijela Kirovski ◽

Jovan Bojkovski ◽

Radisa Prodanovic ◽

Bozidar Savic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Vital Signs ◽

The Body ◽

Heat Index ◽

High Yield ◽

Physiological Indicators ◽

High Degree ◽

Respiratory Movements

The objective of this work was to examine the influence of outer temperature on values of the vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration) in high-yield dairy cows in early stages of lactation, as well as to establish, on the grounds of the degree of correlation between the values for the vital signs and the temperature humidity index (THI), possibilities for using the examined physiological parameters of the organism as an indicator of heat stress. The experiment covered 10 high-yield dairy cows in the first phase of lactation. The investigations were carried out in the course of July and the first half of August. During the course of the experiment, the average THI was determined daily. An average daily THI higher than 70 indicated that the animal had been exposed to heat stress on that day. Vital signs were measured on twelve occasions during the period of investigation (June 30, July 4, July 7, July 10, July 14, July 17, July 21, July 24, July 29, August 5, August 11, and August 14). It was established on the grounds of the THI values that the examined animals were exposed to heat stress on June 30, July 4, July 7, July 14, July 17, July 21, July 29, August 5, and August 14, while there was no heat stress on July 10, July 24, and August 11. The average body temperature during all the periods of examination, with the exception of July 24, was above the upper physiological limit. A high degree of correlation was established between body temperature and the heat index (r = +0. 509; p = 0.05). The number of respiratory movements per minute was above the physiological values during the entire period of investigation. There was a high degree of correlation between the number of respiratory movements and THI (r = + 0.625; p<0.05). The average pulse values and number of contractions of the rumen did not vary significantly during the period of investigation. No significant correlation was established between the pulse and THI values, or between motoric activities of the rumen and THI. The results obtained in this work demonstrate that, in high-yield dairy cows exposed to moderate heat stress, the body temperature and the number of respiratory movements are above physiologically permitted values. On these grounds, it can be concluded that these two parameters of the vital signs can be used as physiological indicators of heat stress. .

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