PSVI-28 Influence of ambient temperature and temperature-humidity index on a measure of semen quality in crossbreed beef bulls.

High ambient temperature induces an increase in bovine body temperature above the physiological homeothermic point, leading to impaired reproductive performance. Belgian Blue bulls are more susceptible to heat stress compared with most other cattle breeds. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether high ambient temperature affected bull semen quality and subsequent embryo development. For this purpose, semen samples were collected from six Belgian Blue bulls during August (14-28 days after three consecutive warm days with temperature-humidity index between 63.8 and 83.7) and March 2016 (temperature-humidity index between 35.9 and 47.4). After semen collection, volume, sperm concentration, and motility of fresh semen were assessed. Furthermore, frozen sperm samples were used to assess the motion parameters and morphological abnormalities using computer-assisted sperm analysis, viability and reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide) production using flow cytometry, and acrosome integrity and chromatin condensation using fluorescence microscopy. Afterward, blastocysts were produced (r=4) by conventional invitro methods for assessment of embryo development (Wydooghe et al. 2014 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 26, 717-724; https://doi.org/10.1071/RD13043). Cleavage rate was determined 48h after fertilisation, and the blastocyst rates were determined on Days 7 and 8 postinsemination. Moreover, Day 8 blastocysts underwent differential staining in order to determine the numbers of the inner cell mass, trophectoderm, total cell number, and apoptotic cells ratio. The data set was analysed using the GLM procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc.). Normal distribution was checked using the UNIVARIATE procedure, and the Shapiro-Wilk test and arcsine square root transformation were used when required. Furthermore, Duncan's test was applied to determine the significant differences (P=0.05). In fresh semen, samples from the non-heat-stressed (NHS) group showed a higher sperm concentration compared with samples from the heat-stressed (HS) group (P=0.05), whereas semen volume and motility were not affected by heat stress (P>0.05). In frozen-thawed semen, total and progressive motility and straight-line velocity were lower in the HS group compared with the NHS group (P=0.05), whereas the generation of H2O2, percentages of aberrant chromatin condensation, total morphological abnormality, spermatozoa with bent tails, and distal protoplasmic droplets were higher in the HS group compared with the NHS group (P=0.05). The cleavage rate and blastocyst rates on Days 7 and 8 were higher (P=0.05) in the NHS group (70.4±1.13, 25.4±1.84, and 40.3±1.15, respectively) compared with the HS group (62.8±1.49, 15.4±1.56, and 23.3±1.84, respectively). However, there were no significant differences in hatched or hatching rate of two treatments (P>0.05). The total cell number and trophectoderm were higher in NHS-derived blastocysts than in HS-derived blastocysts (P=0.05), whereas the apoptotic cells ratio was lower (P<0.001) in NHS blastocysts (2.16±0.48% vs. 5.21±0.52%). In conclusion, these findings show that elevated ambient temperature during summer as a consequence of climate change can lead to decreased quality of fresh and frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa and subsequent embryo development.

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Effect of Different Environmental Conditions on Some Haematological Parameters in Cow

Annals of Animal Science ◽

10.2478/aoas-2014-0049 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 947-954 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Giuseppe Mazzullo ◽

Claudia Rifici ◽

Gino Caccamo ◽

Maria Rizzo ◽

Giuseppe Piccione

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Ambient Temperature ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Physiological Responses ◽

Repeated Measure ◽

Haematological Parameters ◽

Data Logger ◽

Temperature Humidity Index ◽

Measure Analysis ◽

Humidity Index

Abstract The aim of this study was to establish physiological responses of Piemontese cows to different environmental conditions (ambient temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index). To this end, 43 clinically healthy Piemontese cows aged 2-12 years were used to evaluate the effect of environmental conditions on haematological parameters. For each period, ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded by means of a data logger and the temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated as indicator of thermal comfort for cattle. Blood samples were collected at 4 time points under different environmental conditions (T1, T2, T3 and T4) and analysed for haematological parameters. One way repeated measure analysis of variance showed a statistically significant effect of time (P<0.0001) on RBC, Hb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, Plt, WBC, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils. The majority of haematological values obtained in the present study, even though within the physiological range for cattle, showed that variations in haematological parameters are related to changes in ambient temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index. These results provide insight into the physiological responses of Piemontese cows to different environmental conditions, allowing to better evaluate its ability to adapt and cope with environmental stress.

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Heat Stress Mitigation with Fogging System of Anatolian Water Buffaloes

Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology ◽

10.24925/turjaf.v9i10.1883-1888.4529 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 1883-1888

Author(s):

İsrafil Kocaman ◽

Can Burak Şişman ◽

Hüseyin Cömert Kurç

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Ambient Temperature ◽

Milk Yield ◽

The Other ◽

Positive Temperature ◽

Cooling Efficiency ◽

Average Data ◽

Water Buffaloes ◽

Temperature Humidity Index ◽

Humidity Index

This research was carried out to investigate the possibilities of removing the heat stress that may occur in Anatolian water buffaloes with a fogging system and to determine the cooling efficiency of the system. In this context, two 24-headed groups were formed among the water buffaloes that were considered to have the same genetic similarities, were born in the same period and have the same lactation number. One group was housed under controlled shelter conditions (Shelter-I), where the ambient temperature can be controlled, and the other group was housed in existing farmer-raising conditions (Shelter-II). The same feed rations were applied to both buffalo groups. The cooling efficiency of the fogging system established in Shelter-I was between 45.6% and 85.7% positive. Temperature-Humidity Index values changed between 19.9 and 23.1 in Shelter-I and 19.5 and 26.4 in Shelter-II according to the maximum average data. According to these values, the level of stress in Shelter-II has reached very serious levels and affected the milk yield of buffaloes negatively. The corrected 305-day lactation milk yields were calculated as 1965.4 kg in Shelter-I and 1757.1 kg in Shelter-II. The differences between all data obtained for Shelter-I and Shelter-II were found statistically significant.

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Effect of the Temperature-Humidity Index on Body Temperature and Conception Rate of Lactating Dairy Cows in Southwestern Japan

Journal of Reproduction and Development ◽

10.1262/jrd.10-135t ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 450-456 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Hisashi NABENISHI ◽

Hiroshi OHTA ◽

Toshihumi NISHIMOTO ◽

Tetsuo MORITA ◽

Koji ASHIZAWA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Conception Rate ◽

Temperature Humidity Index ◽

Lactating Dairy Cows ◽

Humidity Index

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The Influence of Thermal Stress on Serum Biochemical Profile in Sheep

Indian Journal of Animal Research ◽

10.18805/ijar.b-1349 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

J. Autukait ◽

I. Poškienė ◽

V. Juozaitienė ◽

R. Antanaitis ◽

W. Baumgartner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thermal Stress ◽

Biochemical Parameters ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Small Ruminants ◽

Cortisol Concentration ◽

Stress Reactions ◽

Temperature Humidity Index ◽

Humidity Index ◽

Group 2 ◽

Suffolk Sheep

Background: Climatic factors, such as high temperature, high relative humidity, can induce a thermal stress in animals. The phenomenon of mammalian sensitivity to thermal stress, especially in small ruminants, is widely reported in the literature. The present study aimed to analyze temperature and humidity effects on serum metabolic profile and cortisol concentration in sheep. Methods: The experiment was conducted on 40 adult, non-lactating and non-pregnant Suffolk sheep from December 2018 to December 2019. The subgroups were formed by age (two groups): twenty sheep were about 1.5 years old (Group 1) and other twenty - about 3 years old (Group 2). Based on the value of the temperature-humidity index, the following three subgroups were formed: 1) temperature humidity index ≥20; 2) 20 greater than temperature-humidity index greater than 10 and 3) temperature-humidity index less than 10. Blood cortisol concentration and biochemical parameters were measured once per month on the same day, in identical animals. Result: The analysis of biochemical parameters revealed that Group 2 showed significantly higher values for creatinine, phosphorus, zinc and cortisol. All blood indicators, except iron, phosphorus and total bilirubin, were dependent on THI concentration. The highest positive correlation coefficient of cortisol was calculated with urea and total protein. It is concluded that both cortisol and biochemical parameters play a significant role in thermal stress reactions in the Suffolk sheep.

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Critical Temperature-Humidity Index Thresholds for Dry Cows in a Subtropical Climate

Frontiers in Animal Science ◽

10.3389/fanim.2021.706636 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Véronique Ouellet ◽

Izabella M. Toledo ◽

Bethany Dado-Senn ◽

Geoffrey E. Dahl ◽

Jimena Laporta

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Respiration Rate ◽

Rectal Temperature ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Dry Matter Intake ◽

Subtropical Climate ◽

Dry Period ◽

Environmental Indices ◽

Temperature Humidity Index ◽

Humidity Index

The effects of heat stress on dry cows are profound and significantly contribute to lower overall welfare, productivity, and profitability of the dairy sector. Although dry cows are more thermotolerant than lactating cows due to their non-lactating state, similar environmental thresholds are currently used to estimate the degree of heat strain and cooling requirements. Records of dry cow studies conducted over 5 years in Gainesville, Florida, USA were pooled and analyzed to determine environmental thresholds at which dry cows exhibit signs of heat stress in a subtropical climate. Dry-pregnant multiparous dams were actively cooled (CL; shade of a freestall barn, fans and water soakers, n = 107) or not (HT; shade only, n = 111) during the last 7 weeks of gestation, concurrent with the entire dry period. Heat stress environmental indices, including ambient temperature, relative humidity, and temperature-humidity index (THI), and animal-based indices, including respiration rate, rectal temperature and daily dry matter intake were recorded in all studies. Simple correlations were performed between temperature-humidity index and each animal-based indicator. Differences in respiration rate, rectal temperature and dry matter intake between treatments were analyzed by multiple regression. Using segmented regression, temperature-humidity thresholds for significant changes in animal-based indicators of heat stress were estimated. Stronger significant correlations were found between the temperature-humidity index and all animal-based indices measured in HT dry cows (−0.22 ≤ r ≤ 0.35) relative to CL dry cows (−0.13 ≤ r ≤ 0.19). Although exposed to similar temperature-humidity index, rectal temperature (+0.3°C; P < 0.001) and respiration rate (+23 breaths/min; P < 0.001) were elevated in HT dry cows compared with CL cows whereas dry matter intake (−0.4 kg of dry matter/d; P = 0.003) was reduced. Temperature-humidity index thresholds at which respiration rate and rectal temperature began to change were both determined at a THI of 77 in HT dry cows. No significant temperature-humidity threshold was detected for dry matter intake. At a practical level, our results demonstrate that dry cow respiration rate and rectal temperature increased abruptly at a THI of 77 when provided only shade and managed in a subtropical climate. Therefore, in the absence of active cooling, dry cows should be closely monitored when or before THI reaches 77 to avoid further heat-stress related impairments during the dry period and the subsequent lactation and to mitigate potential carry-over effects on the offspring.

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