scholarly journals Non-Invasive Physiological Indicators of Heat Stress in Cattle

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Musadiq Idris ◽  
Jashim Uddin ◽  
Megan Sullivan ◽  
David M. McNeill ◽  
Clive J. C. Phillips

Cattle are susceptible to heat stress, especially those kept on high levels of nutrition for the purpose of maximising growth rates, which leads to a significant heat increment in their bodies. Consequences include compromised health and productivity and mortalities during extreme events, as well as serious economic loss. Some measures of heat stress, such as plasma cortisol and temperature in the rectum, vagina, or rumen, are invasive and therefore unlikely to be used on farms. These may cause additional stress to the animal due to handling, and that stress in itself can confound the measure. Consequently, it is desirable to find non-invasive alternatives. Panting score (PS), cortisol metabolites in faeces, milk, or hair, and the infrared temperature of external body surfaces are all potentially useful. Respiratory indicators are difficult and time consuming to record accurately, and cortisol metabolites are expensive and technically difficult to analyse. Infrared temperature appears to offer the best solution but requires further research to determine the thresholds that define when corrective actions are required to ensure optimal health and productivity. Research in this area has the potential to ultimately improve the welfare and profitability of cattle farming.

2002 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim E. Lowe ◽  
Neville G. Gregory ◽  
Andrew D. Fisher ◽  
Steven R. Payne

Romney-cross ewe lambs (n = 27) were subjected to controlled environmental conditions to induce acute heat stress. The goals of the study were to: (1) determine appropriate physiological indicators of acute heat stress, (2) determine threshold rectal temperatures (Tr) for catecholamine and cortisol release, (3) determine effects on meat quality, and (4) assess the effect of dehydration on the above measures. There were 3 treatments: control (ambient temperature and humidity), heat stress (33°C, and 85-100% humidity), and heat stress combined with water deprivation. The duration of the treatment period was 12 h. Respiration rate (Rf) and rectal temperature (Tr) were highly correlated with increasing temperature humidity index (THI) (r > 0.75, P < 0.001), whereas heart rate was less responsive to THI (r = 0.30, P < 0.05). The welfare of these lambs was at risk at Tr greater than 40.5°C, a point at which respiration rate was maximal and unable to prevent further increases in Tr. Plasma cortisol concentrations were increased in heat-stressed lambs after Tr reached approximately 40.7°C. Plasma catecholamines were only elevated in lambs when Tr was greater than 42°C. The majority of lambs subjected to heat stress had a Tr less than 42°C, and there were no significant effects on meat quality. Despite exhibiting increases in plasma protein concentrations, there were no indications that dehydrated lambs were under additional stress during heat challenge in comparison with hydrated lambs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 168-168
Author(s):  
Melissa S Roths ◽  
Megan A Abeyta ◽  
Tori Rudolph ◽  
Brittany Wilson ◽  
Matthew B Hudson ◽  
...  

Abstract Heat stress (HS) occurs when internal body temperatures are elevated above a thermoneutral zone in response to extreme environmental temperatures. In the U.S. dairy industry, HS results in economic loss due to decreased feed intake, milk quality, and milk yield. Previous work has demonstrated increased plasma urea nitrogen in heat stressed dairy cattle which is thought to originate from increased skeletal muscle proteolysis, however this has not been empirically established. The objective of this investigation was to determine the extent to which HS promotes proteolysis in skeletal muscle of dairy cattle. We hypothesized HS would increase activation of the calpain and proteasome systems in skeletal muscle. To test this hypothesis, following a 3-d acclimation period in individual box stalls, all lactating dairy cows were held under thermoneutral (TN) conditions for 4-d for collection of baseline measures and then exposed to TN or HS conditions for 7-d followed by a biopsy of semitendinosus (n=8/group). To induce HS, cattle were fitted with electric heating blankets, which they wore for the duration of the heating period. This approach increased rectal temperature 1.1°C (P&lt; 0.05), respiratory rate by 33 bpm (P&lt; 0.05), plasma urea nitrogen by 19% (P=0.08) and milk urea nitrogen by 26% (P&lt; 0.05), and decreased dry matter intake by 32% (P&lt; 0.05) and milk production by 26% (P&lt; 0.05) confirming HS. Contrary to our expectations, we discovered that calpain I and II abundance and activation, and calpain activity were similar between groups. Likewise, protein expression of E3 ligases, MafBx and Murf1, were similar between groups as was total ubiquitinated proteins and proteasome activity. Collectively, and counter to our hypothesis, these results suggest skeletal muscle proteolysis is not increased following 7-d of HS. These data question the presumed dogma that increased blood urea nitrogen is due to elevated proteolysis in skeletal muscle.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 859-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina C.R. Paz ◽  
Nely P. Souza ◽  
Janine L. Brown

Abstract: Blood samples collection is a common method in biological research using domestic animals. However, most blood sampling techniques are complicated and highly invasive and may therefore not be appropriate for wildlife animals in research concerning stress. Thus, a non-invasive method to measure steroid hormones is critically needed. The first goal of this study was to determine how glucocorticoids concentrations are impacted by translocation and reproductive activity in crab-eating-fox (Cerdocyoun thous) in captivity. The physiological relevance of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites was further validated by demonstrating: (1) The translocation of a male to a females enclosure resulted in a 3.5-fold increase compared to baseline concentrations, (2) changes in adrenocortical activity, as reflected in concentrations of fecal cortisol metabolites during reproduction, gestation and lactation in females foxes, indicating that social interactions resulted in large increases of fecal glucocorticoids metabolites during the reproductive season. From these findings we conclude that fecal samples can be used for the non-invasive assessment of adrenocortical status in crab-eating-fox.


2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elmy Mariana ◽  
Cece Sumantri ◽  
Dewi Apri Astuti ◽  
Anneke Anggraeni ◽  
Asep Gunawan

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of heat stress on thermoregulation, haematology, and productivity of Holstein Friesian (HF) dairy cows raised in different elevations. A total of 63 HF in a normal lactation period were used in this study. The research was conducted for 3 months during dry season in three different areas, which were at Pondok Ranggon (97 m.a.s.l) which categorized as a lowland, Ciawi (576 m.a.s.l) which categorized as a lower-upland, and Lembang (1241 m.a.s.l) which categorized as an upland. Observation on microclimate aspects which includes environmental temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH) and Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was done by recording each variable for every 2 hours starting from 08.00 to 16.00 WIB. The thermoregulation analysis was done based on the given physiological responses which consisted of the skin temperature (Ts), rectal temperature (Tr), body temperature (Tb), heart rate (Hr), respiratory rate (Rr), Heat Tolerance Coefficient (HTC), plasma cortisol level and haematological profile observation. The Ta, Rr, and THI measurements showed that in the lowland and lower-upland, the HF experienced moderate heat stress, while the HF raised in the upland area experienced less heat stress. The results showed that the dairy cows which raised in lowland had the highest HTC, Tr, Ts and Tb (P<0.05) and lowest Hr (P<0.05). All of the physiological and haematological parameters in the three study area showed a normal value.Furthermore, the erythrocyte, Hb and PVC concentration in a lowland raised HF were higher (P<0.05), while the plasma cortisol levels were not significantly different. The milk production of the observed dairy cows in different elevations was significantly different (P<0.05), with the highest milk yields, were found in the upland raised HF (13.1±3.52 kg), followed by the lower-upland (11.3±4.73 kg) and lowland (7.0±3.36 kg). In general, all of the HF raised in different land elevations was exposed to heat stress during dry seasons, even though the cows showed the ability to physiologically adapt and cope with the conditions. 


Author(s):  
M. Venkatesan ◽  
P. Selvaraj ◽  
M. Saravanan ◽  
M. Veeraselvam ◽  
S. Yogeshpriya ◽  
...  

Traumatic reticulopericarditis is a very frequently occurring, high morbid and mortality syndrome affecting bovines in large animal practice. It is quite common in delta districts of Tamil Nadu. For early intervention and economic loss minimization, appropriate diagnostic and prognostic testing is essential. Ultrasound guided, percutaneous pericardiocentesis is the non-invasive technique and helped in therapeutic management and prognostication of traumatic reticulopericarditis. This case documented the successful utility of the palliative therapy.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. e0208528
Author(s):  
Levente Kovács ◽  
Fruzsina Luca Kézér ◽  
Ferenc Ruff ◽  
Viktor Jurkovich ◽  
Ottó Szenci

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Byrd ◽  
Nichole Anderson ◽  
Drew Lugar ◽  
Timothy Safranski ◽  
Matthew Lucy ◽  
...  

The study objective was to determine whether in utero heat stress (IUHS) affects piglet physiology and behavior following common production practices. A total of 12 gilts were confirmed pregnant and allocated to either heat stress (HS; n = 6) or thermoneutral (TN; n = 6) conditions on day 30–60 of gestation. At weaning (22.5 ± 2.3 days of age), 1 boar and 1 barrow of median weight were selected from each litter and transported for approximately 7 h. Piglets were then blocked into pens (n = 2/pen) by in utero treatment (IUHS (n = 12) or in utero thermoneutral (IUTN, n = 12)) and sexual status (boar (n = 6/in utero treatment) or barrow (n = 6/in utero treatment)). Plasma cortisol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), insulin and glucose were evaluated 1 day prior to transport (pre-transport) and immediately after transport (post-transport). Behavioral data were collected on day 1–7 for 60 min at four different time points each day. In utero heat stressed piglets exhibited reduced cortisol concentrations compared to IUTN piglets immediately post-transport (p = 0.04). Glucose concentrations were not affected by in utero treatment. Insulin concentrations were reduced in IUTN piglets post-transport compared to pre-transport (p = 0.002), but no differences were detected for IUHS pigs. Non-esterified fatty acids tended to be reduced overall for IUHS vs. IUTN pigs (p = 0.08). Overall, IUHS piglets performed more drinking behaviors (p = 0.02) and tended to perform more aggressive behaviors (p = 0.07) than IUTN piglets in the 7 days post-transport. In summary, there was some evidence for altered physiological and behavioral responses among IUHS piglets compared to IUTN piglets following weaning and transport.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 287-287
Author(s):  
Justin Mufford ◽  
John S Church ◽  
Matt Reudink ◽  
Mark Rakobowchuk ◽  
Carmen Bell ◽  
...  

Abstract Heat stress is an emerging cause of mortality and production loss in Bos taurus beef cattle production in North America. Despite the recent occurrence of extreme heat events in Canadian pastures and feedlots, there is very little heat stress research conducted in Canadian settings. The purpose of this study was to develop a non-invasive method to compare behavioral and physiological indices of heat stress between different Canadian cattle breeds. We used thermal imagery acquired by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to compare surface temperatures between two colour variants of Black Angus x Canadian Speckle Park calves on pasture. The mean back surface temperature for dark variants (n = 5) was 38.6 °C (SD = 4.9), whereas for light variants (n = 7) it was 31.3 °C (SD = 3.4). In the subsequent summer, we compared respiration rates between breeds varying in coat colour while in feedlot pens, including Black Angus, Red Angus, Hereford, Simmental, Charolais, the new Canadian Speckle Park composite breed and their various cross breeds. We recorded 4K video of cattle with a UAV positioned at nadir directly overhead at a height of ~10–15 m; respiratory behavior was analyzed later using Observer XT software. The mean respiration rate in breaths per minute (BPM) for black coated cattle (110 BPM, SD = 19) and red coated cattle (105 BPM, SD = 20) was higher than white coated cattle (94 BPM, SD = 21). We conclude that dark-coated cattle show heightened responses to hot temperatures due to increased absorption of solar radiation at the coat; as a result, dark-coated cattle are likely more susceptible to heat-stress related production losses than light-coated cattle under temperate summer weather conditions. We further conclude that UAVs are a novel and non-invasive tool to study cattle heat stress behavior in feedlot and pasture settings.


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